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INDIANAPOLIS — The first round of the 2020 NFL Draft has come and gone, and although the Indianapolis Colts weren't on the board to make any picks, they are in a good spot when they begin Friday night on Day 2.
The Colts pick early in the second round at No. 34 overall — second in the round behind the Cincinnati Bengals — followed up by No. 44 overall, and then No. 75 in Round 3. Tonight's Day 2 action is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. ET.
After staying patient in Round 1, there are still quite a few high-quality players available to them heading into the second day of the draft, including several players that have been in the first round of many mock drafts throughout draft season.
For an idea of who the Colts could spend their three Day 2 selections on, here are 20 of the top players available that are projected to be selected on Friday night.
Jeremy Chinn | Safety | Southern Illinois
Chinn is silently near the very top of many people's safety rankings, and those who are unfamiliar with him may be surprised to see how early he is likely to be picked. At 6'3", 221, Chinn is pretty big for a safety, but more athletic than the vast majority of the group. He blew up the Combine in historical fashion, running the 40-yard dash in 4.45 seconds with a vertical of 41 inches and a broad jump of 138 inches. He's not just a workout warrior, either; his tape shows that this guy can play.
Do the Colts need a starting-level safety this early in the draft? No. But here's two things: first, the Colts don't draft based on what they need; they pick the best players on the board. Second, Chinn's blend of size, speed and explosion makes him an intriguing candidate to be moved around in different spots, so there's a good chance that he's not "just a safety."
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Chase Claypool | Wide Receiver | Notre Dame
What a Combine performance this guy had. Measuring in like a small tight end at over 6'4" and 238 pounds, Claypool exploded and moved around like a much smaller player. His 40-yard dash (4.42), vertical (40-1/2") and broad jumps (126") were all high-end to elite-level scores for any receiver, let alone one his size, and were only comparable to those of Calvin Johnson.
The Colts could very well be looking for a big-bodied receiver for quarterback Philip Rivers, so Claypool would've already fit the bill, but him having test like he did puts him over the edge. The ceiling for a player like that is special, so it wouldn't be surprising at all for the Colts to bite.
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Grant Delpt | Safety | LSU
He's a high-profile player and was considered the top safety in this draft for much of the last year, but the Colts haven't been tied to Delpit much throughout the draft process. Still, his ability to fly around the field, attack the backfield and make plays with enthusiasm would fit in well with their defense. After nursing injuries that he dealt with in 2019, Delpit could return to being the dominant player that we saw on film in 2018.
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Trevon Diggs | Cornerback | Alabama
Big, long, fast and physical; those are the traits that you get with Diggs. It's a special mixture for a cornerback to have, but what makes him even more intriguing is his knowledge of the wide receiver position. He arrived at Alabama as a receiver and continued to play it through his freshman season. His brother, Stefon, is also one of the NFL's best receivers and is a big resource of knowledge for Diggs on gamedays.
Cornerback is not a pressing need for the Colts, but there are question marks there. You've got Kenny Moore II and Rock Ya-Sin who are likely to be two starters. However, Pierre Desir was let go and replaced by Xavier Rhodes, who is expected to be the other outside starter, but is only on a one-year contract. Behind them, the primary depth is Marvell Tell III, who is going into his second year after moving over from safety, T.J. Carrie, who is likely to play both inside and out, and Quincy Wilson, who is facing a highly-critical fourth season with the Colts.
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Jacob Eason | Quarterback | Washington
Quarterback has been arguably the most talked-about position for the Colts to address this offseason. They signed veteran quarterback Philip Rivers, but they still appear to be looking for that guy to develop and take over, long-term. Eason has the prototypical size and strong arm that you're looking for, but his game needs some developing, especially keeping his composure under pressure from the defense.
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A.J. Epenesa | Defensive Lineman | Iowa
The Colts like big defensive ends that can kick inside to their three-technique defensive tackle spot, and Epenesa could fit that well for the Colts. At 6'5", 275, he's got that great, versatile size, but not so much the mobility. He can still get some pressure on the quarterback and contain the edge against the run game. He is a bit reminiscent of Jabaal Sheard, who spent the last few years with the Colts but is now a free agent.
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Jake Fromm | Quarterback | Georgia
Fromm is likely to be off the board sometime on Day 2, and it's because he's a relatively clean prospect. You know what you're getting with him. He scans the field, makes generally good decisions, can get out of the pocket and has accuracy. However, how high is his ceiling? He lacks high-quality arm strength or arm talent, so his ceiling likely isn't as high as some others like Justin Herbert or Jordan Love, but Fromm's floor is pretty safe as well.
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Kristian Fulton | Cornerback | LSU
The defending national champion cornerback has average size at 5'11-5/8" and 197, but he's got plus athleticism and mobility to go with it. He's a sticky corner in man coverage and will get his hands up into the receiver's grill to throw them off.
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Yetur Gross-Matos | Edge Defender | Penn State
Long and lean at 6'5", 266 with nearly 35-inch arms, Gross-Matos has a terrific frame for an edge defender. He shows good explosion and mobility working his way through and around blocks. He shows a good blend of pass-rush moves and natural movement instincts, but he could strengthen up a bit.
The Colts' top defensive end, Justin Houston, is 31 years old and set to be a free agent after the season, and his fellow incumbent starter, Sheard, remains an unsigned free-agent. The Colts value pass-rush, so expect to see them continue working on it during the draft.
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Tee Higgins | Wide Receiver | Clemson
Higgins is the type of player who I describe as having a pterodactyl's catch radius. His 6'3-5/8" height and 34-1/8" arm length are both elite measurements for receivers, and his tape is chock-full of him making difficult catches. What you surrender in pure speed and change-of-direction with him, you get ten-fold in contested catch ability. He's an inaccurate passer's dream, but having an accurate passer like Rivers could make him a deadly asset in critical situations.
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Robert Hunt | Offensive Tackle | UL-Lafayette
Hunt is one of the nastiest offensive linemen in this draft, and he's got numerous pancakes on film. He has extensive starting experience at both guard and tackle and could likely play either in the NFL due to his technique, mobility, strength and confident style of play. In a very crowded group of tackles, the small-school prospect found a way to stand out and make himself a likely Day 2 pick.
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Jalen Hurts | Quarterback | Oklahoma
Not many people can say that they were Heisman Trophy contenders for two different blue-blood college football programs, but Hurts can. After transferring from Alabama to Oklahoma, Hurts picked up the torch that Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray carried under head coach Lincoln Riley and forged his own path. Hurts made an immediate impression on his new teammates as a leader in 2019, being named a team captain. While he was a considered a running threat with a good deep ball at Alabama, he developed much more as a passer at Oklahoma while maintaining his abilities as a runner. He's an ascending quarterback prospect who could really thrive after sitting for a bit with an NFL team while he develops as a passer.
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Jaylon Johnson | Cornerback | Utah
Johnson is a great fit for the Colts and their zone-heavy scheme, where he'll be able to use his instincts. He's smart and crafty, and understands how to bait passers into making poorly-decided throws into his area. He isn't afraid to get physical with receivers or in the run game.
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Josh Jones | Offensive Tackle | Houston
Jones is built well at 6'5", 319, and has good athleticism and movement skills to go with it. He gets out on the move very well and is used to blocking for a mobile quarterback. You can tell he's got that "dog" mentality as a lineman as he looks to maul defenders and bring them to the ground, and he's always looking for work. Don't be surprised if the Bengals are tempted to take him right before the Colts at No. 33 overall to protect their new prized rookie quarterback, No. 1-overall pick Joe Burrow.
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Terrell Lewis | Edge Defender | Alabama
Lewis is another long, bendy edge defender out of the mold of current Colts defensive ends Ben Banogu and Kemoko Turay. He starts by getting a good jump off of the snap, is quick when engaging blockers and has speed and flexibility around the edge. He is also patient with good instincts, which is likely why he's had some duties as an off-ball linebacker. There's a lot of upside here from Lewis as a pass rusher.
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Xavier McKinney | Safety | Alabama
McKinney is very solid in all areas as a safety and has the versatility to cover out of the slot, but his strong points are his instincts and football IQ. He's lauded for his studying and work ethic, and it shows on the field, as he's rarely out of position and always seems to know what's going on in front of him.
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Denzel Mims | Wide Receiver | Baylor
Not many prospects have had as good of an offseason as Mims. He measured in with great size and performed really well at the Senior Bowl, and then repeated that with a great showing at the Combine. When hitting his tape, it's hard not to come away smitten. He's got the size, athleticism, catch radius and track record on tape to potentially become a team's top receiver in the NFL.
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Julian Okwara | Edge Defender | Notre Dame
Okwara was one our most recent draft features, so you may know a bit about him by now. He's got the size (6'4"-1/4, 252, 34-3/8" arms) and athleticism that the Colts look for in draftable defensive ends. He's a bit raw both as a pass rusher and run defender, but that's how the Colts have drafted them the past few years. He's an ascending talent who had big statistical jumps each of his first three seasons, and he might remind Colts fans a bit of Colts defensive ends Turay and Banogu.
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Michael Pittman Jr. | Wide Receiver | USC
The son of former Arizona Cardinals and Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Michael Pittman, Junior looks the part for the NFL as well. He's another big-bodied receiver at 6'4", 223, but he moves very well around the field, especially after the catch. He has reliable hands and routinely makes contested catches, and he shows a lot of strength both with the ball in his hands and as a blocker. He's very well-suited for what the Colts would like in a receiver.
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Jabari Zuniga | Edge Defender | Florida
Zuniga fires off the edge with plenty of speed and bend. He has a whole lot of room to grow as a player, as he only began playing football as a high school senior, and a high ankle sprain disrupted his 2019 season. Like the Colts have shown to do, they could take a chance on a raw pass-rusher who has catching up to do as a run defender, but who has a very high potential ceiling.
