Who will the Colts take in the NFL Draft? Latest seven-round mock draft for Indianapolis
The NFL Draft is this week. It offers another chance for Chris Ballard and the Indianapolis Colts to build the way they always do, which is by drafting and developing. They have a few needs to address, but this is also the way they acquire building block players for the long haul.
It's a different draft than last year, when everyone knew they were going with a quarterback. They have a few different routes they could take, but here's one hypothetical done through the NFL Mock Draft Database's simulator.
For this exercise, I chose not to make any trades, though we know Ballard will end up making some as he always does. I mostly chose from the players available but did pass on a couple of players I can't see actually being available at that slot.
Indianapolis Colts mock draft
The Colts have seven picks in this year's draft, one per round, starting with No. 15 overall. They have a major hole in the secondary, primarily at outside cornerback, but also have a need for another pass catcher for Richardson. They can always use more pass rush help, too.
Round 1, Pick 15: Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia
The Colts need a pass catcher for Richardson who goes beyond Michael Pittman Jr. and Josh Downs. Ideally, that comes at tight end, where Jelani Woods has durability questions and the Colts don't have any other established options.
Brock Bowers is the perfect pick if the Colts were to stay at No. 15 and he becomes available. He's the only first-round caliber tight end in the draft, one of the best yards-after-catch prospects in years and a man who led Georgia in receiving in three straight seasons en route to two national championships. He'll be a perfect fit for Shane Steichen's screen- and run-pass-option-heavy playbook and should be able to hit the ground running as their No. 1 tight end.
MORE: How the Colts can ace the 2024 NFL Draft: Trading up for Marvin Harrison Jr.
Round 2, Pick 14: Xavier Worthy, WR, Texas
The Colts could use, at minimum, a No. 4 wide receiver and ideally someone who can push Alec Pierce as a starting 'Z' receiver. They get that and more in Xavier Worthy, who is projected to sneak into the first round.
It means double-dipping on pass catchers, but this spring is all about developing Richardson, so the Colts won't mind. Steichen can always find use for more talented offensive weapons. This one happens to have gone for 1,000 yards in the Big 12 Conference last season and is an electric return man with his blistering 4.21-second 40-yard dash time. That's something else Indianapolis needs to address in this draft.
Round 3, Pick 18: Adisa Isaac, EDGE, Penn State
The Colts clearly want to build their pass defense primarily through the pass rush. They have potential future needs forming on the edge with Dayo Odeyingbo and Kwity Paye entering contract years. It makes for a fit with Adisa Isaac, a player who made a strong impression at the Senior Bowl after breaking out with 16 tackles-for-loss and 7.5 sacks in the Big Ten last season.
He'll start as a situational pass rusher, someone to step in to give a little more juice than Paye can on third downs. It means keeping the secondary a major need, but that's how the draft is falling, and that's also a position that has free agents to sign after the draft.
Round 4, Pick 17: Cam Hart, CB, Notre Dame
The Colts finally add to their secondary with a player built ideally for their press-man, zone-heavy scheme. Cam Hart measures 6-foot-3 and 202 pounds, making him a strong complement to JuJu Brents and Jaylon Jones in this young room. He handled covering Marvin Harrison Jr. about as well as any cornerback last season, showing off traits that can be developed.
He'll need seasoning, much like Jones did, but he gives the Colts a third cornerback who can split reps at a position that's becoming hodgepodge in nature.
Round 5, Pick 16: Audric Estime, RB, Notre Dame
The Colts double-dip on Fighting Irish prospects with Audric Estime, who falls to the fifth round. Estime was a workhorse the past two seasons, totaling 2,261 yards and 29 rushing touchdowns. He doesn't have the top-end speed of some other backs but runs with power and can catch out of the backfield, making him an ideal Zack Moss replacement as the top backup and goal-line option to Jonathan Taylor.
Round 6, Pick 15: Edefuan Ulofoshio, LB, Washington
The Colts are into their depth picks now. Edefuan Ulofoshio is a sixth-year player without elite measurables but was a big-time leader on a defense that played for the national championship last season, when he racked up 94 tackles and eight tackles-for-loss. He brings a lot of the characteristics that Zaire Franklin once did and can be the next linebacker the Colts start on special teams and try to develop from there.
Round 7, Pick 14: Joe Milton, QB, Tennessee
The all-big-school draft is complete with a quarterback who mirrors Richardson in some interesting ways. Joe Milton stands a giant 6-5 and 235 pounds. Last year at Tennessee, he threw for 20 touchdowns and ran for seven more. That was his sixth year in college, and the lack of development has led to questions about how he can fit at the next level. But as a seventh-round swing, he can slide in as the Colts' No. 3 quarterback behind two similarly framed passers in Richardson and Joe Flacco, which also makes a great room to learn from.
Colts NFL Draft picks: List of selections for 2024
Round 1, Pick 15
Round 2, Pick 14
Round 3, Pick 18
Round 4, Pick 17
Round 5, Pick 16
Round 6, Pick 15
Round 7, Pick 14
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Colts mock draft 2024: Brock Bowers highlights latest draft projections
