INDIANAPOLIS — It's time for the Week 8 version of the 2017 Colts Rookie Watch, where we take a look at the stats and highlights to track the progress of each rookie on the Indianapolis Colts' roster.
So, without further ado, here we go:
• Tarell Basham, outside linebacker:After being inactive for the first time all year the previous week, Basham was back on the field for the Colts last Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars, playing 14 snaps with the defense and two snaps on special teams. In six games, the third-round pick out of Ohio has recorded one tackle on defense.
• Darrell Daniels, tight end:Daniels has played in all seven games this season, starting the Colts' Week 4 game against the Seattle Seahawks. On Sunday against the Jaguars, Daniels logged 10 snaps with the offense and 15 snaps on special teams, finishing with one catch for seven yards. For the season, Daniels — who went undrafted out of Washington — has caught three passes for 26 yards, and he has also has one special teams tackle.
• Nate Hairston, cornerback:Hairston has thrived in his role as the Colts' primary nickel cornerback, playing in six of the team's seven games so far, and getting his first-career start against the Seahawks. Hairston had three tackles and a pass defensed on Sunday against the Jaguars, and, for the year, Hairston has logged 18 tackles (two for a loss) and two passes defensed, while his two sacks are tied for the most this season among cornerbacks in the NFL.
• Kyle Kalis, guard:Kalis, just signed to the Colts' active roster on Oct. 2 after spending time on the Washington Redskins' practice squad, made his NFL debut two weeks ago against the Tennessee Titans, playing five special teams snaps, and while he was active again on Sunday against the Jaguars, he did not see any action on the field. The Michigan product, who went undrafted this year, is listed as the backup at both guard spots on the team's unofficial depth chart this week.
**
• Marlon Mack, running back: **The Colts' fourth-round pick out of South Florida, Mack has certainly shown several flashes of brilliance throughout the season. In five games, he has 32 rushing attempts for 156 yards — an average of 4.9 yards per carry — with two touchdowns, while he also has seven receptions for 74 yards (10.6 avg.). Mack — who had four carries for 40 yards and five receptions for 26 yards last Sunday against the Jaguars — has four 20-plus yard rushes this season, which is tied for the second most in the NFL.
• Kenny Moore II, cornerback:Moore has been a special teams standout for the Colts this season, as he leads the team with six special teams tackles on the year. But he also got his first significant game action with the defense on Sunday after No. 2 cornerback Rashaan Melvin left the game with a concussion, as Moore II played 45 defensive snaps — the sixth-most on the team — and also played 16 special teams snaps, and finished with one tackle. Moore, who went undrafted out of Valdosta State, has played in all seven games this season.
• Rigoberto Sanchez, punter:Sanchez has been very solid in his first season as the Colts' punter and kickoff specialist. That trend continued on Sunday against the Jaguars, when he punted seven times for 314 total yards — an average of 44.9 yards per kick, with a net average of 44.9. Four of his punts landed inside the 20, and he had a long on the day of 58 yards. On the season, Sanchez' net average of 44.6 ranks fourth in the NFL, while his 17 punts inside the 20-yard line rank tied for first in the league. In terms of coverage, meanwhile, Sanchez's kickoffs have been returned for an average of 18.5 yards, which ranks third in the NFL, while his punts have been returned for an average of 4.5 yards, ranking fifth.
• Grover Stewart, defensive tackle:Stewart, also a fourth-round pick by the Colts out of Albany State, has played in all six games since he was inactive for the season opener against the Los Angeles Rams, and has six tackles on the year. He had his best performance thus far last Sunday against the Jaguars, collecting four tackles on 20 total defensive snaps.
• Anthony Walker, inside linebacker:Walker has been hampered by a hamstring injury for most of the season. He suffered the injury Week 1 against the Rams and missed the next three games, and then re-aggravated the same hamstring three weeks ago against the 49ers and has been inactive in the Colts' two games since. Walker, a fifth-round pick out of Northwestern, has been credited with one special teams tackle on the year.
• Quincy Wilson, cornerback:WIlson played the first two games of the season — earning his first-career start Week 2 against the Arizona Cardinals — but has been inactive in the five games since for the Colts. Wilson, the Colts' second-round pick out of Florida, has been credited with three tackles on the year, while his two passes defensed are the fifth-most on the team.
Rookies on Injured Reserve:• Deyshawn Bond, center:Bond, who went undrafted out of Cincinnati, started the first four games of the season at center for the Colts in place of the injured Ryan Kelly. Bond was placed on IR on Oct. 3 after suffering a quad injury.
• Krishawn Hogan, wide receiver:Hogan — the first player from NAIA Marian University to play in an NFL game — played in two games this season (Week 4 against the Seahawks and Week 5 against the 49ers) and finished with one special teams tackle. He was placed on IR on Oct. 9 with a knee injury.
• Malik Hooker, safety:Hooker, the Colts' first-round pick out of Ohio State, had a promising start to his career in Indy, as he played in seven games, starting six, and finished with 21 tackles, four passes defensed and three interceptions; in fact, he picked off one pass in three consecutive games from Weeks 2-4 and became the first Colts rookie to intercept at least one pass in three straight games dating back to 1984 (Eugene Daniel; Weeks 13-15). Hooker was placed on IR on Oct. 24 with a knee injury.
