Even though Colts’ General Manager, Chris Ballard, is expected to trade down from his first-round pick to make up for his missing 3rd rounder (via the Carson Wentz trade), there is still the possibility that his dream prospect will fall right into his lap. It’s happened in past years, not necessarily to the Colts, but top players tend to fall.
Take a look at the last couple of years; in the 2020 Draft, Ceedee Lamb (Daniel Jeremiah’s #9 prospect at the time) was not expected to make it out of the top 10. Two other receivers went before him, and he ended up sitting there at #17 for Jerry Jones and the Cowboys. In 2019, Byron Murphy was almost everyone’s CB1, yet he fell and was an easy day two pick for the Arizona Cardinals. There are examples of this every year. And while it seems pretty likely that Ballard will not be selecting the 21st pick, we should still look at the three guys he would consider if they so happen to fall into his lap.
Christian Darrisaw, OT – Virginia Tech
There is no one that I would like in this position more than Virginia Tech’s Christian Darrisaw. Standing at 6’5″ 314 lbs., Darrisaw is a massive human, and he quite possibly one of the best fits in Frank Reich’s offense. The Colts are a team that loves to run the ball, and that just so happens to be his strength. He is a very disciplined player, an elite run blocker, and a pretty good pass blocker. He has great range, mobility, and the ability to move laterally, making him a perfect fit in the run game. As a pass blocker, he is nearly just as good. On occasion, he has let a rusher around his outside edge, but this is a mechanic that I’m sure can be easily adjusted by a Hall of Fame offensive lineman and current Colts’ Offensive Line Coach, Kevin Mawae. Darrisaw would be a plug-and-play player in this dominant Colts offensive line: instantly making an impact and opening up the holes for Taylor, Mack, Hines, and Wilkins to make big plays.
Teven Jenkins, OT – Oklahoma State
This next player is one of my favorite offensive tackles in this class. This OT, arguably the Colts’ number one position of need this year, Teven Jenkins, is a 6’6″ 315 lbs. monster. Like Colts All-Pro guard Quenton Nelson, Jenkins plays through the whistle. This man is more of a people-mover than any other lineman in this Draft. On tape, you can consistently see him pushing defenders 10-15 yards down the field. He is a solid athlete with amazing body strength, making him a really fun player to watch. His quick hands essentially win his blocking assignments as soon as the ball is snapped, making him a great player to keep on the blindside of Carson Wentz. The fifth-year senior has a few mechanics that need to be cleaned up, but Jenkins is an overall fantastic prospect that would be insanely entertaining to watch next to Big Q.
