Best fits for the Indianapolis Colts from the 2024 Senior Bowl
The 2024 Senior Bowl has come and gone, and almost every leading voice for the Indianapolis Colts was in attendance. Notable members of the Colts staff to have boots on the ground in Mobile, Alabama, for the 2024 Senior Bowl: General Manager: Chris Ballard Assistant General Manager: Ed DoddsHead Coach: Shane Steichen Defensive Coordinator: Gus Bradley Assistant Linebackers […]
The 2024 Senior Bowl has come and gone, and almost every leading voice for the Indianapolis Colts was in attendance.
Notable members of the Colts staff to have boots on the ground in Mobile, Alabama, for the 2024 Senior Bowl:
- General Manager: Chris Ballard
- Assistant General Manager: Ed Dodds
- Head Coach: Shane Steichen
- Defensive Coordinator: Gus Bradley
- Assistant Linebackers Coach: Cato June (Coaching at the Senior Bowl)
- Assistant Offensive Line Coach: Chris Watt (Coaching at the Senior Bowl)
With so much of their staff physically on-site, and given their history of drafting Senior Bowl participants, it seems very likely that the Colts will select one or more players from the 2024 Senior Bowl in April.
Laiatu Latu, Edge, UCLA
UCLA's Laiatu Latu was the consensus top player on this year's Senior Bowl roster coming into the week, and he didn't disappoint. The first day was a quiet one for the edge rusher, but on day two, he came to play and dominated any assignment given to him. He showed his excellent bend and shocked some with the amount of pass-rush moves at his disposal. Latu isn't going to be a game-changer in the run game, but he has all the talent to be a game-wrecker in the passing game. And while the Colts had a solid group of pass rushers this past year, they lack a top-tier edge to lead the room day in and day out, and if Latu is there at 15, he has that type of potential.
Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo
Toledo's Quinyon Mitchell was the star of the week. From one-on-one's to 11 on 11, he proved himself to be one of the best CBs in this year's class and might have cemented himself as a first-round pick. The Colts need at CB is pretty evident; they started two rookies on the outside most of last season, and they desperately need more talent in the room for next year. Mitchell offers a solid balance of man and zone coverage, which will allow his NFL team a lot of flexibility in how they deploy him, and that type of player is invaluable in today's league.
Cam Hart, CB, Notre Dame, CB
While Mitchell may have been the star of the CBs at the Senior Bowl, in my opinion, Notre Dame's Cam Hart was right on his tail. Hart began the week strong and didn't falter as the week went on. He had some lost reps here and there, but for a CB to dominate the majority of their one-on-one reps against WRs is beyond impressive. Like Mitchell, Hart showed great ability in both man and zone coverages throughout the week. But unlike Mitchell, Hart will most likely be available to the Colts on day two of the draft, allowing them to add a talented CB and go elsewhere with their first-round pick.
Evan Williams, S, Oregon
The Colts problems in the secondary were not only at CB; the play at safety this past year was disheartening. Veteran Julain Blackmon had a great season, but no matter who played beside him this year, he looked like a liability. Evan Williams, out of Oregon, is a versatile defender who has played both safety positions and spent time as a slot corner. He's an excellent athlete who has shown solid ball skills that should help him carve out a role at the pro level. Williams was surrounded by some of the best safetys in the upcoming draft class, and he honestly looked the part and even outperformed them. It seems some of his teammates agreed because he was named the top safety on the National team this year. With the Colts needing so much help in the secondary, I think drafting a player like Williams, who could compete at nearly every spot, would be incredible for their upcoming training camp battles.
Devontez Walker, WR, North Carolina
Multiple WRs had big weeks at the Senior Bowl, and shockingly, I picked a WR here who struggled in a key area all week long, and that is North Carolina's Devontez Walker. Walker had a glaring drop issue all week long in practice, and it carried over into the game on Saturday, where he added a few more. What I did see from Walker, though, is his incredible size and speed that he used to create separation all week long. Some expected Walker to use the Senior Bowl week to jump into first-round consideration. But the week didn't go to plan, and he seems poised to hear his name called on day two, which could benefit the Colts, who would love to add a deep-threat WR, and Walker's size and speed fit that mold. He only had three drops all last season, so NFL teams will hope this was just bad luck and that he will become a reliable pass catcher at the pro level.
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