NFL Draft experts grade Indianapolis Colts' class, and they get high marks
The Indianapolis Colts selected nine players in the 2024 NFL Draft, led by edge rusher Laiatu Latu. They also added two wide receivers, two offensive linemen, two safeties, a cornerback and a defensive lineman.
Judging the quality of a draft just after it ended is hardly definitive, but the Colts believe there's a lot to like about this group. And the people who grade drafts to agree.
Colts 2024 NFL draft picks
1st round: Edge rusher Laiatu Latu
2nd: WR Adonai Mitchell
3rd: OL Matt Goncalves
4th: OL Tanor Bortolini
5th: WR Anthony Gould; S Jaylon Carlies; S Jaylin Simpson
6th: CB Micah Abraham
7th: DL Jonah Laulu
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Colts 2024 NFL draft grades
Bleacher Report: A
General manager Chris Ballard managed to find value throughout the draft while addressing a couple of key needs early. Indianapolis may have preferred to land one of the top pass-catchers at the very top of the draft. However, it still did a good job of improving Richardson's supporting cast while reloading a defense that ranked 28th in points allowed last season.
CBS Sports: B+
GM Chris Ballard has a thing for athleticism, and I dig that. But in the past he's picked extreme athletes who weren't actually good football players. Latu has an incredibly high ceiling because of his pass-rush arsenal, Mitchell was a fantastic find at No. 52, and Goncalves can be a quality swing tackle or guard.
Bortolini has potential because of his athletic chops, and Gould ab-so-lutely flies down the field. Carlies and Simpson are two totally different safeties. I love adding the blend of a rangy middle-of-the-field type and an in-the-box masher.
NFL.com: B+
Latu was the most consistent pass rusher in the draft class and will be productive if the neck injury he suffered while at Washington is not an issue moving forward. The team found a potential steal in Mitchell, provided his game matures, while trading down for two Day 3 picks. Trading up for Gonclaves seemed unnecessary, though he should be at least a solid swing tackle; he's been recovering from a foot injury but said after the draft that he feels 100%.
Bortolini looks like Ryan Kelly's heir apparent; he also has the experience, strength and athleticism to play guard until needed in the middle. Gould brings real value as a returner, especially with the new kickoff rules. Carlies moves from safety to linebacker for the Colts. Simpson could man corner or safety; the athletic defender played both spots in college. Abraham is the son of former NFL player Donnie Abraham and a tough-minded corner in his own right, but the team is still looking for depth at edge.
Sports Illustrated: B+
This is a quality class for GM Chris Ballard. The Colts snagged Latu to bolster their pass rush before getting a steal in Mitchell, who many believed was a top-25 pick. If those two picks hit, this is already a good haul, not to mention the bevy of high-upside selections in the third round and beyond. Ballard built up his skill-position talent and lines, giving Anthony Richardson the best chance to succeed.
USA TODAY: A-
They might have gotten the draft’s best defender, UCLA pass rusher Laiatu Latu at No. 15 before getting a Round 1-caliber wideout in Adonai Mitchell at No. 52 – and he arrives carrying an ax to grind with the rest of the league. Mid-round O-line upgrades (Pitt’s Matt Goncalves and Wisconsin’s Tanor Bortolini) are rarely a bad idea, though a corner in one of those spots might have made more sense.
Washington Post: B
There is plenty to like about what the Colts did, even with some risk involved. They were able to get a top pass rusher, Laiatu Latu, at No. 15, aided by the early run on offensive players and perhaps consternation by some teams over Latu’s neck injury that interrupted his college career. The Colts also did well to get WR Adonai Mitchell 20 choices into Round 2 — prompting General Manager Chris Ballard’s profanity-filled rant about reports of supposed concern about character issues — and addressed the offensive line by taking tackle Matt Goncalves in the third round.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indianapolis Colts 2024 NFL Draft grades from draft experts
