Kain Colter will miss rest of Senior Bowl
Northwestern Wildcats quarterback Kain Colter (2) in the second quarter at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Thorson-USA TODAY Sports
Former Northwestern Wildcats star quarterback Kain Colter is an intriguing NFL Draft prospect, but he is going to make an NFL roster as a wide receiver and not a quarterback. Despite not playing receiver extensively, Colter has experience at the position and reportedly looked the part during the Senior Bowl. He didn’t have the finer points of the game down such as route-running and separation, but he made up for it by showing a natural, fluid ability to make catches. He even showed better hands than some other wide receiver prospects, per some draft experts, and Colter is a better skill-position conversion prospect than Denard Robinson- and it’s not even close.
The Chicago Tribune’s Rich Campbell reports that Colter’s solid showing at the Senior Bowl will come to a halt, as Colter will withdraw from the showcase even in order to have surgery on his ankle. Per a source close to Campbell, the former Northwestern quarterback will undergo surgery next week and is expected to have an 8-12 week recovery timetable. That puts him right on track to be healthy before the draft, but he won’t be able to participate in the Combine. However, Campbell reports that Colter will have his own pro day shortly before the draft, so scouts will be able to evaluate him then.
Colter’s injury isn’t new, as the ankle surgery will treat a pre-existing injury. We’ve seen plenty of QB-WR projects fail, but draft analysts have raved so much about Colter’s pass-catching at the Senior Bowl that he’s worth keeping a close eye on. He had an excellent college career, and there’s little doubt in my mind that Colter is one of those guys worth rooting hard for.