Reacting to Mel Kipers' selections for the Colts in his new two-round mock draft for the 2024 NFL Draft
ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. released his newest predictive mock draft this week, sharing how he sees the first two rounds of the 2024 NFL Draft shaking out. He had the Colts land notable talent on both sides of the ball. I decided to share my thoughts on who he had the Colts select based on who […]
ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. released his newest predictive mock draft this week, sharing how he sees the first two rounds of the 2024 NFL Draft shaking out.
He had the Colts land notable talent on both sides of the ball. I decided to share my thoughts on who he had the Colts select based on who he had on the board.
Round 1, Pick 15: Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama
"This is an easy match, right? Cornerback is the Colts' biggest need, and Arnold is my second-ranked corner. He had five interceptions last season as he developed into the Crimson Tide's top defensive back. He played a ton of press coverage in college, so he understands angles and knows how to knock receivers off their routes. He would have a chance to be Indianapolis' top CB as a rookie." – Mel Kiper
In this mock draft, Kiper had Quinyon Mitchell already off the board, with the Denver Broncos drafting the CB out of Toledo with the 12th pick. Some notable players still on the board, along with Terrion Arnold, were Brian Thomas Jr., Cooper DeJean, Nate Wiggins, Laiatu Latu, and Jared Verse.
If this was how the board fell, the two players I'd consider at this pick are Arnold and Thomas Jr., and with the state of the roster, I think Kiper Jr. is correct with the pick he made. Arnold graded out as Kiper Jr.'s second-best CB, but he ended up as my top CB. I think both Arnold and Mitchell are great options for the Colts to consider, and I even think Mitchell better fits what the Colts typically prioritize at the CB position. But the reason I personally lean toward Arnold as my top CB and why I think the Colts should select him even if Mitchell was on the board here is because I believe his skill set and play style give him a much better shot at developing into a true lockdown CB1 in the NFL. Something any team that doesn't have is always searching for, and it would dramatically help the Colts' defense reach the heights they are striving for.
Round 2, Pick 46: Troy Franklin, WR, Oregon
"I thought about an edge rusher for Indianapolis, but there's value in taking a second-round receiver based on the depth of the class. General manager Chris Ballard has used Day 2 picks on wideouts in each of these past two drafts (Josh Downs, Alec Pierce), but the Colts don't have a press-coverage beater like Franklin, who had 23 touchdown catches in his final two seasons at Oregon." – Mel Kiper
With the Colts' second-round pick, Kiper Jr. had the Colts select WR Troy Franklin out of Oregon. Some notable players still on the board, along with Frankin, were DT Jer'Zhan Newton, C Jackson Powers-Johnson, S Tyler Nubin, and LB Payton Wilson.
Again I think Kiper Jr. made the right pick if the board fell this way. The Colts are in need of a true field stretching Z WR, and Oregon's Troy Franklin fits that to a tee. Franklin possesses 4.41 speed (40-yard dash time) and measured in just under 6'2" at the Scouting Combine with 31.875" arms to check the Colt's typical requirements for the position. Franklin's big struggle, which has people doubting him as a prospect, is his 10% drop rate last season. I think most can be chalked up as focus drops. He tends to try and make a move before securing the catch, which will need to be coached out of his game. But if a team can coach that out of him, I think he's a first-round worthy WR prospect and would form quite the four-man tandem in the Colts WR room with Michale Pittman Jr., Josh Downs, and Alec Pierce for second-year QB Anthony Richardson.
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