INDIANAPOLIS – NFL players have returned to work and rosters are about to grow to 90 men.
The next major roster additions will come from next week's NFL Draft (April 27-29 in Philadelphia).
With the draft beginning next Thursday, the Colts have seven selections in the first five rounds. They will draft 15th overall, the second highest pick they've had in Round One since 2012.
As the mocks build up this time of year, a couple of positions are starting to separate themselves for the Colts.
Here's another compilation of Mock Drafts with this year's draft less than two weeks away:
Analysis**: Foster is the best inside linebacker in this draft, but few teams above the Colts at No. 15 need inside linebackers. He's not dropping because of his bizarre combine ejection. This would be one of the best value picks of Round 1.
Analysis: Nearly 80 percent of the Colts' designed runs last year were inside or outside zone, and Lamp is a highly athletic O-lineman who would thrive in such a scheme.
Analysis: The Colts could use a talented pass rusher with a non-stop motor off the edge.
Analysis: The Colts made some nice moves in free agency but need to continue to address their speed on defense. McKinley is a fastball coming off the edge whose motor never stops.
Analysis: He's a premier edge rusher, and I think the ceiling for him is Robert Mathis, so maybe that makes this cliché, but when you lose Mathis, you need someone to take his place. Indianapolis addressed the defense to some extent in free agency, but that's not going to be adequate if the goal is the maximize the best years of Andrew Luck.
Analysis: He has versatility to play corner or safety. The Colts could use help at both.
Analysis: Reddick gives Indianapolis a linebacker who can do a little of everything really well, including the pass rush threat they need.
Analysis: Lewis has arguably the best ball skills of any cornerback in this draft class. He recorded six interceptions and 28 pass breakups over the past three seasons, and didn't allow an NFL passer rating above 52.8 in that span.
MOCK DRAFT TOTALS
In each installment of the Mock Draft looks we will total up all the positions pundits have pegged for the Colts throughout the draft process.
Totals:
OLB: 11
CB: 6
RB: 5
ILB: 4
OG: 2
S: 1
DL: 1
OT: 1
Bowen's Analysis: Think the Mock pundits like UCLA's Takkarist McKinley to the Colts? Through four Mock Draft looks, the outside linebacker group is clearly separating itself from the pack. McKinley is known for his pure pass rushing traits, something the Colts should be looking to find through the draft. McKinley does have a shoulder injury that brought him back to Indianapolis for a Combine medical re-check. That's something to watch in him being ready for Week One. The higher number of cornerbacks we saw this week has to come from how the roster looks after free agency. Cornerback is clearly the most glaring need from a quantity/quality standpoint. It would not be a surprise if the Colts took a corner or inside linebacker in the early rounds and that player ended up starting from Day One.
2017 Fourth Mock Draft Look
The analysis from those producing content on Colts.com does not necessarily represent the thoughts of the Indianapolis Colts organization. Any conjecture, analysis or opinions formed by Colts.com content creators is not based on inside knowledge gained from team officials, players or staff.
