INDIANAPOLIS — Sometimes things just work out for the best.
For the Indianapolis Colts, they not only traded out of the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft on Thursday night and picked up an extra second-round pick this year (as well as another second-round pick in 2020), but some of the prospects they were originally considering taking with the 26th-overall pick should still be available when they go on the clock at No. 34 overall tonight.
The background: on Monday, Colts general manager Chris Ballard revealed to reporters that the team had a list of about eight players that they wanted to take with their first-round pick, at No. 26 overall. While he acknowledged some of those prospects would already be selected by the time they went on the clock, Ballard and the Colts were confident at least one of them would be there for them to take late in the round.
But as the first round got underway on Thursday night, Ballard became more convinced that trading back out of the 26th pick, even if some of those players they had targeted were available, would be the right move. Just after 11 p.m. ET, the Colts sent the 26th pick to the Washington Redskins in exchange for the 46th-overall pick and Washington's second-round selection in 2020.
When the second round of the draft kicks off at 7 p.m. tonight, the Colts will have to wait just seven minutes before they're on the clock once again with the 34th-overall pick, but Ballard said late Thursday that their original list of eight top prospects isn't all crossed off just yet.
"Some of those guys are still on the board," Ballard told reporters after the conclusion of the first round.
The fact that there could be multiple players remaining from that list means there's a possibility the Colts could get more than one of them if the right pieces fall into place tonight.
Indianapolis not only has the 34th overall pick; it also currently has two other second-round picks — at Nos. 46 and 59. They also will pick in the third round at 89th overall.
Depending on how the second round shakes out, the Colts could possibly get multiple players they have designated as best-case scenario picks. And even if they get just one — or none at all — Ballard is confident in the talent remaining beyond their list, which is still believed to be particularly deep at wide receiver and the offensive line, as well as along the defensive line and at corner and safety.
"It is why we made the move," Ballard said, referencing the first-round trade. "We think the ability with the three two's, we thought that was the strength of how we had it lined up, and we will see (Friday).
"I think you can find talent in every round and I think we have done a pretty good job of that for the roles," Ballard continued. "Whatever their role is and I still think that is the case (Friday) and into Saturday."
