Indianapolis Colts 2016 NFL Draft: Finally Building Right
By Luke Sims
The Indianapolis Colts’ 2016 NFL Draft has not been sexy and it has not been the most praised. But general manager Ryan Grigson is finally building the team right.
For a team that has had internal turmoil for most of the offseason (Gregg Doyel at the Indy Star talks about how the coach and general manager saved their jobs), general manager Ryan Grigson has rebounded to have a nice draft. Through three rounds he has brought together some nice pieces for the Indianapolis Colts to use as foundation pieces and strive forward.
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Much of the Colts success to this point seem to be entirely reliant upon lucking into Andrew Luck in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft. Luck has been everything he was advertised to be at quarterback but the players around him have been anything but. From the aged Frank Gore and Andre Johnson to a bust like Trent Richardson and an offensive line that can’t block a high school squad, the Colts have somehow managed to string together wins despite a relatively weak roster.
As the rest of the AFC South has become more competitive – especially the Houston Texans and, now, the Jacksonville Jaguars – the Colts have to make sure they get it right going forward.
The 2016 draft has offered that opportunity to them and through three rounds the Indianapolis Colts have seized it.
Center Ryan Kelly from Alabama in the first round at 18th overall was a bit high for a center but it was a prudent move considering the glaring need on the offensive line. Kelly can come in on day one and immediately offer the Colts an upgrade. He is a dependable player who is only going to grow as an interior lineman and could become one of the best in the league. At a minimum, it looks like Kelly is the kind of player who can put in a decade of work for a team. His selection clearly solidified a major void and will help the entire Colts team get better.
In the second round, the Colts selected defensive back T.J. Green. Green isn’t a player that gets everyone excited (as he is a converted wide receiver), but he offers high upside and has the athleticism that teams love at cornerback. Grigson’s pick here isn’t so much about getting the best player (there were other options) but about getting a player he is comfortable with in the Colts defense. Green saw his stock shoot up following the combine and the Colts are betting on him being able to put it all together as a pro.
Le’Raven Clark came to the Colts in the third round, adding another offensive line force to the team. It took Grigson a few years but he now knows that if he wants to win more football games, he has to protect Andrew Luck. Clark is able to do that, offering extensive experience (51 college starts) and quickness as a tackle. This selection is the Indianapolis Colts’ biggest steal thus far in the draft. Clark had a second or first round grade by some people (including NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein) and can put in work immediately as a rookie.
The Colts haven’t had a draft go this well since they selected Luck in 2012. The team is putting together the right pieces – and the pieces they are most comfortable with – to win in a division that is rapidly become more crowded with young talent. The team is being built with blue chip players on the line and athletic, high upside players elsewhere.
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It’s tough not to look at what the Colts are doing right now and think they won’t rebound after a dismal 2015 season.