INDIANAPOLIS – Just hours before the start of their first official work in the NFL, three 2017 draft picks put pen to paper on their rookie contracts.
On Thursday night, the Colts signed cornerback Quincy Wilson, cornerback Nate Hairston and inside linebacker Anthony Walker.
The Colts will begin their 2017 rookie minicamp on Friday. The three-day minicamp will run through Sunday, before the rookies join the rest of the veterans for the final five weeks of the team's offseason program.
Wilson, Hairston and Walker are the first draft picks to sign their rookie deals. The Colts still have five 2017 draftees yet to sign.
Wilson, 6-1, 213 pounds, was selected by the Colts in the second round (46th overall) of the 2017 NFL Draft. He saw action in 39 games (24 starts) at Florida and compiled 84 tackles (47 solo), 4.5 tackles for loss, 1.0 sack, six interceptions (one returned for a touchdown), 17 passes defensed and one forced fumble.
In 2016, Wilson was one of two players to start all 13 games for the Gators. He finished his junior year with 33 tackles (18 solo), 3.5 tackles for loss, 1.0 sack, three interceptions (one returned for a touchdown) and six passes defensed en route to earning Second Team All-SEC honors from The Associated Press, Athlon Sports and Gridiron Now. Wilson played in all 14 games (nine starts) in 2015 and collected 29 tackles (13 solo), seven passes defensed and two interceptions. In 2014, he appeared in 12 games (two starts) as a true freshman and tallied 22 tackles (16 solo), 1.0 tackle for loss, one interception, four passes defensed and one forced fumble.
Hairston, 6-0, 193 pounds, was selected by the Colts in the fifth round (158th overall) of the 2017 NFL Draft. He saw action in 43 games (15 starts) at Temple and collected 40 tackles (31 solo), 3.0 tackles for loss, two interceptions and six passes defensed. Hairston played two seasons (2013-14) at wide receiver and caught 20 passes for 150 yards.
In 2016, Hairston started all 14 games at cornerback and posted 27 tackles (23 solo), 3.0 tackles for loss, two interceptions and five passes defensed. He appeared in 14 games (one start) in 2015 and tallied 11 tackles (six solo) and one pass defensed. As a wide receiver in 2014, Hairston saw action in seven games and totaled 13 receptions for 88 yards. He played in eight games in 2013 and caught seven passes for 62 yards. Hairston also tallied two solo tackles. He redshirted as a true freshman in 2012.
Walker, 6-1, 235 pounds, was selected by the Colts in the fifth round (161st overall) of the 2017 NFL Draft. He started 33-of-38 career games at Northwestern and totaled 278 tackles (155 solo), 39.5 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, six forced fumbles, six fumble recoveries, four interceptions (one returned for a touchdown) and 12 passes defensed.
In 2016, Walker earned Second Team All-Big Ten honors from the conference's coaches after starting all 13 games and tallying 105 tackles (62 solo), 10.0 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, four forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, one interception and five passes defensed. His four forced fumbles ranked in the top 10 of all NCAA players. Walker started all 13 games in 2015 and finished with 122 tackles (64 solo), 20.5 tackles for loss, 4.0 sacks, one forced fumble, three fumble recoveries, one interception and four passes defensed. He finished third in the Big Ten in tackles. Walker was a consensus First Team All-Big Ten honoree and earned All-America recognition from The Associated Press and Sports Illustrated. His 122 tackles ranked third in single-season Northwestern history and his 20.5 tackles for loss ranked fourth best in the nation in 2015. In 2014, Walker played in all 12 games (seven starts) and collected 51 tackles (29 solo), 9.0 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, two interceptions (one returned for a touchdown) and three passes defensed. He redshirted as a true freshman in 2013.
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