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INDIANAPOLIS — By the time the third round of the NFL Draft comes about, you better have done your homework on the players that are available.
While most people know all about the players selected in the first couple of rounds, the third round brings players that could have more question marks, whose game may be a bit more raw or maybe it brings you more small-school prospects for which you're comfortable reaching.
The third round has yielded the Colts some quality results in the past, and hopefully this year is no different, as they are slated to pick 75th-overall.
Today, we look into some of the best players that may be available at that point of Round 3. Because the structure of what everyone thinks will happen with the draft begins to unravel by now, today's list will feature 15 possible players for the Colts.
These aren't the only good options that may be available to the Colts — unexpected players slide every year — but these players are those that I've weighed the likelihood of being available along with what position groups Indianapolis may need most, and how these players specifically fit what the Colts normally look for. There are also players that teams will sometimes bend their positional standards to accommodate if they feel that player is special.
*The following players are listed alphabetically.
Harrison Bryant | Tight End | Florida Atlantic
Bryant was the subject of our most recent draft player feature. With Eric Ebron, who was the team's most productive downfield receiving tight end, leaving in free agency, a player like Bryant could help fill that void. With an athletic build, and speed to boot, Bryant is the type of playmaking tight end the Colts could use.
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Lloyd Cushenberry III | Interior Offensive Lineman | LSU
While Cushenberry currently isn't the stoutest offensive lineman, he shows good mobility and athleticism. If he can get a heavier anchor and a wider base to mirror defenders better then he will be much improved and a worthy starting interior offensive lineman.
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Jordan Elliott | Defensive Tackle | Missouri
Elliott is a very active interior defender who is great with his hands. He's well balanced when it comes to playing the run and providing interior pressure on the passer, but if he can get a little stronger and develop some counter moves to free himself from blocks then he could be a highly effective defender up front.
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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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Bryce Hall | Cornerback | Virginia
Hall has outstanding size for the cornerback position, but he lacks the elite mobility to go with it. His toughness matches his size, though, so he's a very intriguing prospect. Do you trust him on an island against really good receivers, or is he strictly a zone corner? That could be the difference between him being considered an NFL cornerback, safety or niche matchup player.
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Malik Harrison | Linebacker | Ohio State
Harrison tested surprisingly well at the Combine athletically, which is a big boost for his stock that essentially locks him into Day 2. His tape shows one of the best run-defending linebackers in the draft, and his Combine performance showed a player who is capable of being a potentially explosive three-down, field roaming linebacker in just about any scheme.
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Anfernee Jennings | Edge Defender | Alabama
Jennings could be an ideal fit for the Colts at left defensive end, as he has the size (6'2", 256), length (32-7/8" arms), power and toughness to hold up on the strong side. While he's not a high-end pass-rusher, he knows how to contain the edge and make things difficult for opponents while they try to run the ball.
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Justin Madubuike | Defensive Tackle | Texas A&M
Madubuike is a powerful defensive lineman with a good motor and plays to the whistle. He stacks the blocker and sheds them well as the ball approaches to get in on the tackle. He may never develop into much of a threat as an interior pass rusher, but he could certainly boost his status as a run defender even further with some NFL coaching.
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Matt Peart | Offensive Tackle | UConn
Peart is a good match for the Colts, measuring physically and athletically similar to left tackle Anthony Castonzo. He's got experience on both sides of the line, and like Castonzo is long, athletic and strong. Considering Peart could use some time to work on his mechanics, this is a good spot for him to land.
Castonzo and right tackle Braden Smith are both due to become free agents in 2021, and Castonzo is at the point in his career where he's evaluating his future in football after each season. A backup plan and future plan are needed in both the short and long terms.
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Donovan Peoples-Jones | Wide Receiver | Michigan
The Colts are likely to be looking to fill a spot or two at receiver in the draft, especially for a big-bodied receiver who can climb the ladder and go get the football. At nearly 6'2" and 212 pounds, Peoples-Jones checks the box. He led all players at the 2020 Combine in the vertical jump with a 44.5", which was 2.5" higher than the next highest jump. He shows the speed and explosiveness to be a big-time playmaker if he is developed well, and the quarterback play at Michigan and basic route tree that Peoples-Jones ran in college means his best football is almost certainly ahead of him.
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Alton Robinson | Edge Defender | Syracuse
Robinson is yet another Colts type of edge rusher, with the exception of a little less length than they typically covet. Still, Robinson is a firecracker off the edge, and has the speed and flexibility to make things difficult for oncoming blockers.
At 6'3", 264, Robinson could develop into either right or left end for the Colts, but he's got above-average speed for defensive linemen after running a 4.69-second 40-yard dash at the Combine. His explosion and agility all were all impressive as well. Colts pass rush consultant Robert Mathis may also know a bit more than the average Joe when it comes to Robinson, as he has been training Robinson's Syracuse bookend, Kendall Coleman, in the offseason.
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John Simpson | Interior Offensive Lineman | Clemson
Simpson has a blend of size (6'4", 321), power and movement skills that should make any team look into his services. With such an emphasis on running the ball, as well as finding ways to improve units that may already be impressive, Simpson could be a candidate to come in and compete for a starting spot on the Colts' offensive line.
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Adam Trautman | Tight End | Dayton
Coming from a lower level of competition at Dayton, people will be hoping what he showed on film isn't too good to be true when Trautman gets to the NFL. He almost looked like a receiver in the passing game, catching the ball well and making plays after the catch. He was also a willing and effective blocker, whether it was near the line of scrimmage or out in the open field.
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Josh Uche | Edge Defender | Michigan
Uche is an explosive player who did a little bit of everything as a defender at Michigan. He's a bit undersized at 6'1", 245, but he's got nearly 34" arms that help make up for it. Teams will need to decide whether he's a linebacker or edge defender, but he shows the speed, get-off, and bend to be a dangerous edge rusher. He's likely more ready to play linebacker right now than defensive end, but he may have the higher upside on the edge.
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Jabari Zuniga | Edge Defender | Florida
Zuniga is a somewhat similar story to Robinson. They are very similar in size and play style, firing off the edge with plenty of speed and bend. Zuniga 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.
2020 NFL Draft "Exploring Options" series:
