The Indianapolis Colts aren’t a team built to compete for the Super Bowl anytime soon, but that doesn’t mean that there isn’t pressure to win right now.
The Colts haven’t made the playoffs in the last four seasons, and general manager Chris Ballard was retained this offseason for a ninth year despite the team’s lack of success or even a clear identity.
The public pressure for owner Jim Irsay to rectify the Colts’ situation was never more intense than this offseason, so there’s an assumption that Ballard and Steichen’s return comes with some sort of mandate that things must improve.
We saw the Colts be more active than usual in free agency and land top defensive players Charvarius Ward and Camryn Bynum. They also signed the quarterback that they want to compete with Anthony Richardson in Daniel Jones.
Now, the focus shifts to the draft. Normally, the Colts are willing to take players early who need some time to develop and may not be ready to be significant players right away, but they may not be able to afford to do that this year. That means a reliance on players who are ready to go right out of the box.
Brent Sobleski of Bleacher Report recently compiled a list of players who aren’t ranked at the peak of the draft but who could still be starters for their new team by the time Week 1 rolls around. Here are a few of those players that make sense for Ballard and the Colts to rely on early in their careers as day-one starters.
OG Tyler Booker, Alabama
Among the NFL draft prospects mentioned in this piece, Alabama offensive lineman Tyler Booker is the most likely to find himself in the first round, even if his positional value drives him down draft boards to some degree.
He is the mold of a guard who was built to immediately start considering his tree-trunk-like frame, impressive play-strength, history of performing at a high level against top competition and the right attitude to bury opponents at any given opportunity…
This old-school mentality, combined with Booker’s obvious physical tools, make him a plug-and-play guard for the next decade, as long as he remains healthy.
Booker is a player you may have seen quite a bit about here on Horseshoe Huddle, and the idea of the Colts selecting him in the first round has begun to gather steam. He’s known for being a mauling, dominant run defender despite having elite statistics in pass protection as well. His play style and tenacity fit right in with the offensive line culture that the Colts have built over the last several years.
The Colts currently have vacancies on their line at center and right guard after Ryan Kelly and Will Fries departed in free agency. The Colts did draft Tanor Bortolini and Matt Goncalves last year to prepare for this situation, but the team’s long-term plan for the duo could affect who actually starts and if a new one is brought in from the outside. Out of each position on the Colts’ line, right guard definitely appears to be the one most open for competition.