Running backs and risks could be Colts' draft options

Running backs and risks could be Colts' draft options – News Sentinel

It’s been a month since the NFL Combine and a few minor things have changed for the Indianapolis Colts.But their needs in the NFL Draft remain the same.The Colts have three more gaps to fill with the departure of free agent linebacker Jerrell Freeman, tight end Coby Fleener and safety Dwight Lowery. The one outside addition to the equation is cornerback Patrick Robinson. Robinson should step in as the opposite corner to Vontae Davis, replacing the inconsistent Greg Toler. The Colts other signings are backup players in quarterback Scott Tolzien and running backs Robert Turbin and Jordan Todman. None of those three spell the difference between making or missing the playoffs.The NFL Draft, April 28-30 in Chicago, looms larger than ever for the Colts to fill needs as they seek to rebound from an 8-8, non-playoff season.Let’s start with the premise that fans will not be happy with the Colts’ pick no matter who they choose with their No. 18 selection.If they go with a pass rusher, fans will feel they should have gone with the offensive line. If they go with the line, especially the interior line, fans will feel they could have gotten similar value at those positions in the second round. If they go with an offensive skill position, look for Colts fans to blow up Twitter in roasting general manager Ryan Grigson.I can’t even imagine the reaction if the Colts took a real gamble and picked Jaylon Smith, the Fort Wayne native and Notre Dame linebacker who has All-Pro potential but could miss the season after his knee injury. I think Smith is worth the risk and the investment, but fans would likely be outraged at using a pick on an injured player.Grigson’s reputation for hits (T.Y. Hilton) and misses (Bjoern Werner) always leaves Colts fans nervous when the draft comes around.With the draft impossible to predict once it gets to that mid-first round area, there are three questions the Colts have to settle before their time arrives.1. Should they pick Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott if he’s available?Two factors are at play here. First, NFL teams tend to shy away from drafting running backs too high after the failure of the No. 3 pick in the 2012 draft, Trent Richardson. Two, the Colts might just be gunshy because of Trent Richardson. The Colts gave up a first-round pick to acquire Richardson from the Cleveland Browns and he was merely the biggest bust in Colts history. (If I’m exaggerating, it’s not by much.)That said, if the Colts have a chance to take Elliott, they should do it. ESPN’s Todd McShay summed up Elliott’s attributes in a recent article: “A true three-down back, Elliott runs with authority and plays with great patience and vision, showing natural (and underrated) pass-catching skills.”The Colts can’t expect the aging Frank Gore to carry the full load, and they need a plan for the future. If Elliott is available, they should take him. Grigson has shown no concern for outsiders’ opinions and has made some unorthodox picks. Elliott could step in from Day One and thrive.2. Is it worth it to take a chance on Eastern Kentucky outside linebacker Noah Spence?Spence’s draft-day fate is all over the board in mock predictions. The reason has everything to do with his character and nothing to do with his skills. He’s a big-time pass rusher who could average double digit sacks per season if he stays out of trouble. It’s the potential trouble that is, well, troubling.Spence was kicked out of Ohio State and the Big Ten for twice testing positive for the drug Ecstasy and was arrested last spring for public intoxication. He received mixed reviews from media observers and insiders during his interviews at the NFL Combine.The Colts need a pass rusher with their top gun, Robert Mathis, nearing the end of his career. Character matters, however, since it doesn’t matter how talented Spence is if he’s back in trouble a year or two into the league and unavailable.Given the choice between the healthy but questionably behaved Spence and the injured Smith, who has displayed tremendous character throughout his career, I’d go with Smith. That might not be the choice the Colts face, but they cannot afford a problem child while they’re trying to rebuild toward a Super Bowl run. Georgia’s Leonard Floyd is an alternative that might end up being the Colts’ safer, immediately available, player.3. Can the Colts get a starting interior offensive lineman in the second round?If either Michigan State’s Jack Conklin or Ohio State’s Taylor Decker are available at No. 18 – with Elliott already gone – those would seem no-brainer picks for the Colts. It’s debatable whether either would be on the board.If Conklin or Decker aren’t available, then the Colts have to decide on a player like Alabama’s Ryan Kelly, the best center in the draft. Is he worth the No. 18 pick? Given the erratic play of the Colts’ centers, the answer probably leans toward yes.Figuring out the Colts’ draft route is impossible, if only because there’s no way to know how the four or five picks ahead of them will fall. I’d love for the Colts to take a chance on Smith. I’m not sure they’d have the guts to do so.The one and only certainty is that Grigson won’t please everyone.This column is the commentary of the writer and does not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of The News-Sentinel. Email Reggie Hayes at [email protected].