We made it, everyone; there will be no more mock drafts or rumors that we have to spend weeks processing; it's draft day. 

We are hours away from finding out the results of the 2024 NFL Draft and, more importantly, finding out who the newest Indianapolis Colts draft pick will be. 

I've spent the entire offseason scouting and studying this draft class and speaking with sources close to the Colts, and here are some things I now believe about the team's mindset heading into the 2024 NFL Draft. 

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Could the Colts trade up? 

One of the biggest rumors surrounding the Colts this draft cycle is that the team could be looking to trade up. This would be surprising to many in Colts Nation because the Colts have never traded up in the first round during Chris Ballard's tenure as their general manager. But the question on everyone's mind is, could this really happen? 

I believe the Colts are heavily interested in trading up this year. I've heard they have made multiple calls with the teams ahead of them, which is consistent with other reports, much like The Athletic's Dianna Russini's similar statement. I have no idea if a trade will come to fruition because it is heavily dependent on them finding a team willing to move down to 15. If they were to trade up, though, there are four players that I think the team would be targeting. 

• Rome Odunze, WR, Washington
• Malik Nabers, WR, LSU
• Dallas Turner, Edge, Alabama 
• Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia 

This list includes three of the top pass catchers in the 2024 NFL Draft in, Odunze, Nabers, and Bowers, as well as a player I'd be shocked if he wasn't the team's top edge rusher in this class in Turner. 

I've gone back and forth a lot over the last few weeks trying to pinpoint who from this group I believe the Colts would prioritize if, for some reason, all were on the board after a trade-up. I've landed on two that I think the team would be the highest on from this group. One is Alabama's Dallas Turner; if the Colts are going to add an edge rusher early this year, Turner is the guy I believe it would be. Turner's length, athleticism, and production in the SEC at Alabama are bound to be things the Colts are impressed by. He is a bit raw in terms of pass rush moves and has a lot of room to grow, but with the right coaching, he has all the tools to become one of the NFL's top pass rushers, and that's something the Colts have been looking for since the days of Robert Mathis and Dwight Freeney terrorizing QBs for the franchise. 

The second player I think could be a top trade-up target for the team is Washington's Rome Odunze. I've also debated who the Colts would prefer between Nabers and Odunze throughout the draft cycle. But in the end, I think Odunze's ability to play multiple roles at his size gives him the edge. I also heard his interview with the Colts at the Scouting Combine earned him a lot of fans in the Colts building. 

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Who is the pick if the Colts stay at 15?

While I believe the Cots are interested in moving up, as I said above, it takes two for a trade to happen, and there's, of course, a larger chance that the Colts will have to stay put at 15. So, if that were to happen, here are the players I feel the strongest about being options for the team at 15. 

• Brock Bowers, TE, Georiga (Yep, again)
• Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo 
• Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama 
• Brian Thomas Jr., WR, LSU
• Xavier Worthy, WR, Texas

My list above includes three pass catchers, with one being the same from the trade-up section. That player is Georgia TE Brock Bowers, who has arguably been connected to the Colts more than any player in this draft class.

Typically, I'd say that's a red flag; for example, that player last year by the national media was Kentucky QB Will Levis, and obliviously, that didn't come true with them choosing Anthony Richardson over the Kentucky QB. But I strongly believe if Bowers is on the board at 15, he would be the pick here for the Colts. A TE of his caliber is hard to come by, and we've seen over the last few years how much of an advantage it can be for the teams that have an elite TE in their offense: the Kansas City Chiefs, the San Francisco 49ers, and the Baltimore Ravens come to mind.

If Bowers is off the board and, the team stays at pick 15, and the top CBs are on the board, that's the route I'd expect the team to take if they don't trade back. The question then would be: Which CB would it be? This is another one I've gone back and forth on a lot, but I've landed on Toledo's Quinyon Mitchell having a slight edge over Terrion Arnold. This is due to his size and athleticism at the position, but I did hear that Arnold's interview with the Colts at the Scouting Combine went very well.  

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What if the Colts trade back? 

The last option for the Colts is one they've done multiple times over the years: trading back in round one. If this is the route the team chooses, here are a few players I could see them targeting. 

• Brian Thomas Jr., WR, LSU
• Xavier Worthy, WR, Texas
• Xavier Legette, WR, South Carolina 
• Cooper DeJean, CB, Iowa
• Laiatu Latu, Edge, UCLA

Trading back to acquire more picks and, therefore, more "shots" at players in this draft class. And if the Colts do so, I believe multiple players would be high on their list of targets. I think the most likely position they'd target is WR if they traded back. I mentioned three above that it could be, though I think LSU's Brian Thoams Jr. and Texas' Xavier Worthy are the two players I have a close eye on if a trade back does happen.

If they didn't go WR, I have two defensive players listed: Iowa's Cooper DeJean, who is a versatile DB, but in the Colts defense, I believe he'd play corner, and UCLA's Laiatu Latu. Latu may shock many people, but I have it on good authority that the Colts reached out to people close to Latu to discuss the edge rusher ahead of the NFL Draft. 

The medicals are Latu's most significant concern as a prospect, but from a pure pass-rushing standpoint, he's the clear best day-one option in this class. His bend and IQ off the edge are next level, and his bag of pass-rush moves is as deep as you'll see a rookie have. I strongly believe he could lead all rookies in sacks, and if a team feels good about his medicals, he could end up being a massive steal in this year's draft. 

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