The Indianapolis Colts are looking to be huge contenders in 2019. The Colts have made huge strides in a short period of time. After finishing with a 4-12 record in 2017, the Colts finished last season 10-6, earning themselves a Wild Card playoff berth. Indianapolis defeated their division rivals, the Houston Texans, in the opening round of the playoffs before being eliminated a week later by the Kansas City Chiefs.
Now, the Colts have their goals set much higher for 2019. With a ton of cap space at their disposal and a much-improved defense all around, Indianapolis will look to be legitimate Super Bowl contenders. Not too bad for a team that was a mere laughing stock less than two years ago.
Sure, it helps that Andrew Luck seems to finally be healthy. However, a major implication for the quick turnaround of the Colts has been their ability to hit on their draft picks. The vast improvement of their defense is evidence of this. The Colts defense was a joke in 2017 and for a few years prior to that. In 2018, however, they became one of the better defenses across the NFL.
A large part of their success stemmed from their rookie sensation, Darius Leonard. Leonard finished the year with 163 tackles, seven sacks, and two interceptions. His success allowed him to be named to the All-Pro team. To give a perspective on how well the Colts hit with their draft picks in 2018, Quenton Nelson, Indianapolis' first-round selection, was also named an All-Pro as a rookie.
Leonard, on the other hand, slid to the Colts in the second round. The Colts will look to hit a home run again in the second round in 2019. Following their trade with the New York Jets prior to the 2018 NFL Draft, Indianapolis will have two picks in the second round this year. Let's take a look at three ideal selections that the Colts could take in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft.
3. Juan Thornhill, S – Virginia
Despite making some significant strides on defense, the Colts still need to add some help in their secondary. They did themselves a service by re-signing both Pierre Desir and Clayton Geathers this offseason. Finding another cornerback and safety in this class would still be ideal.
Thankfully for the Colts, this is not as pressing a need as say defensive tackle or wide receiver. It's likely that they will look to add one with their late second-round selection or in the third round. At the 59th pick, Indianapolis may want to grab Juan Thornhill out of Virginia if he is still on the board.
With a background in basketball, Thornhill is listed as a safety but he played cornerback beforehand. His ball skills would allow the Colts to use him in a variety of different ways. Thornhill finished with six interceptions in his final season at Virginia. His ability to create turnovers gives him the potential to become an elite NFL safety in just a few years.
2. Dexter Lawrence, DT – Clemson
Heading into this draft, the Colts will be looking to add a defensive tackle with one of their early selections. Just a short time ago, Dexter Lawrence was considered a surefire first-round selection. Many even considered him to be a top 10 talent. Lawrence, however, was suspended for the Tigers' run in the College Football Playoff after failing a drug test for an illegal substance.
Lawrence had an impressive NFL Combine performance. He led all defensive tackles in bench press reps (36) and ran the 40-yard dash in 5.05 seconds at a weight of 342 pounds. He ran the impressive time despite suffering a minor quad strain on his only run.
Despite his skill set and impressive performance at the combine, Lawrence is falling on big boards. It now looks like a real possibility that Lawrence could fall into the second round. Assuming the Colts do not use their first-round selection on an interior defensive lineman, Lawrence would be a terrific selection for them with their early pick in the second round.
1. Hakeem Butler, WR – Iowa State
The Colts' other necessary need in this draft is a wide receiver. How they address their first-round pick (26th overall) will likely dictate how they go about with their second-round picks (34th and 59th overall). Should Indianapolis get their interior defensive lineman in the first round, one would assume they use the 34th pick on a wide receiver.
Indianapolis has a very good offense, but they understand that they need to get some help alongside T.Y. Hilton. They signed Devin Funchess this offseason to a one-year deal, but they need to provide a long-term solution. The good news for the Colts is that this is a deep class of quality wide receivers.
There are a number of wide receivers that could be mocked to the Colts in this situation. If somehow Hakeem Butler remains on the board, it would be difficult to see them go in another direction. Butler has the potential to become the best receiver of this class.
Not only does he possess the size at 6-foot-5 and 227 pounds, but Butler showcased his athleticism at the NFL Combine. Butler ran a 4.48 in the 40 with a 36-inch leap in the vertical jump. The upside is obviously there, although Butler will need to work on not dropping the football. If he proves that he can be a reliable target he could become an immediate favorite for Andrew Luck.
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