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It’s draft month, Colts nation! This is my mock draft 1.0 for the Indianapolis Colts. In this mock draft, I’ve decided not to include trades. But make no mistake, I believe 100% the Colts will trade back in the second round to accumulate more draft capital. The Colts have seven draft picks in this draft. The NFL draft is Thursday, April 28th-30th!

Round 2, Pick 42: Jaquan Brisker, S, Penn St.

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I have the Colts selecting Jaquan Brisker S from Penn St. If you’ve been following along with my little series of who I feel the Colts should target in each round. I named Brisker as a potential target for the Colts at 42. This is what I had to say about Brisker. “Brisker has the size you want from an NFL safety. Brisker has the versatility to play all over the secondary for the Colts and new defensive coordinator Gus Bradley. I believe Brisker can have a day one impact and be a day one starter for the Colts.” It came down to Brisker and Pickens, and I believe Brisker is the safer option for the Colts.

Round 3, Pick 73: Cole Strange, OL, Chattanooga

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Strange won’t be the sexiest pick in the world, but he’s one of my favorite players in this draft. He’s got a lot of potential and plays explosive off the snap. I have a second-round grade on Strange. The Colts need depth along the offensive line. Strange has a high character, which Ballard values. He’s explosive and showed at the senior bowl that he could hang with the bigger school talent. Cole Strange, in my opinion, could compete with Danny Pinter for the starting spot at right guard.

Round 4, Pick 122: Kyle Philips, WR, UCLA

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Philips is one of my favorite WR prospects in this class. Please don’t hate me for not addressing WR earlier. I wasn’t feeling Pickens in round 2, and in round 3, I value Strange extremely high. I believe Philips would be a solid player in the Blue and White. Philips, in my opinion, has day one impact on whatever team he lands with. I’ve noticed in mock drafts that Philips ADP is rising, and I’m not shocked by it at all. Philips is a true slot player. I believe the Colts could easily find a role for Philips in the passing game. When you put the tape on for Philips, you’ll see a talented receiver in the slot. Don’t let his stature fool you. He’ll get dirty and block with the best of them. Pascal was arguable the Colts’ best-run blocker on the outside, and I believe Philips can fill that role for the Colts.

Round 5, Pick 159: Braxton Jones, T, Southern Utah

Tackle is a major need for the Colts and has been for some time now. I’m not saying a 5th rounder could be the option, but I am saying Jones has potential. While Jones didn’t see the competition that many other prospects faced, Jones was dominant. Jones used his size to his advantage, which showed up on film all the time.

Round 5, Pick 179: Jake Ferguson, TE, Wisconsin

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Ferguson was one of my favorite tight ends in this class, but a bad combine performance made me second guess everything. His combine was awful. There’s no other way to put it. He had multiple drops at the combine, which didn’t appear on the tape. At Wisconsin, Ferguson was a reliable target for the badgers. Oddly enough, he reminds me a lot of Jack Doyle.

Round 6, Pick 38: Jake Hansen, LB, Illinois

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The first thing that comes to mind is forced fumbles. Hansen screams, “I’m a Ballard guy,” considering his high character, high IQ, and 3-years as a team captain. One thing to note is that Hansen does have a significant injury history, which is a concern. Nevertheless, Ballard values character, so I feel he would take a swing on a guy like Hansen.

Round 7, Pick 240: Michael Woods II, WR, Oklahoma

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One of my favorite players in this draft is Michael Woods. It would be an absolute dream for me to bring Woodville to Indy! While he was at Arkansas, Woods looked like a future second-round pick. The chemistry between Woods and Rattler wasn’t there, and it showed on that stat sheet. Woods’s strengths are his route running and catching, and he has big-play ability.

This is my first official mock draft of the year. How do you feel about it? Is there a pick that you didn’t like? Is there a pick that you like the most? Overall I’m pleased with how this mock went, but I would’ve wanted to address the receiver a little bit earlier, but that’s how the board falls sometimes.

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