Colts inject athleticism, competition into roster with 9 picks on Day 3 of 2023 NFL Draft

However along with bringing in 9 extremely athletic gamers, the Colts constructed competitors and depth up and down their roster on Day 3. Whereas the Colts will proceed to construct their roster within the coming weeks and months via undrafted free company and the veteran free agent market – as they’ve achieved up to now – the crew’s offensive and defensive strains bought deeper on Saturday, whereas robust competitors seems to be on the horizon at tight finish and cornerback after the additions of Mallory, Rush and Jones (along with cornerback Julius Brents, who was chosen on Day 2).

There wasn’t a evident want at tight finish, however Mallory caught out on the Colts’ draft board. And when the Colts went on the clock at No. 162, head coach Shane Steichen leaned over to Ballard and reminded him: “Chris, this man’s actually good.”

So the Colts took Mallory, and now will see how he competes in a decent finish room additionally together with Pharaoh Brown, Mo Alie-Cox, Kylen Granson, Drew Ogletree and Jelani Woods.

“You by no means simply need to cross up an excellent participant,” Ballard stated. “I imply, (Mallory’s) bought size, he can run. He is been productive in faculty. He is a very good match for what we would like. It is simply going to create actual competitors on the place. That is OK. That is an excellent factor. That makes you higher.”

At cornerback, the Colts are excessive on Rush – to the purpose Ballard was contemplating drafting him within the fourth spherical. However as an alternative of shifting off gamers in Freeland and Adebawore the crew valued, or buying and selling up to make sure they bought him, the Colts let the draft come to them – even buying and selling down from No. 138 and including a sixth-round choose that turned Leo – and snagged Rush at No. 141 within the fifth spherical.

Like Brents earlier than him and Jones after him, Rush is an extended, rangy cornerback who matches “our profile,” Ballard stated. He possesses pace (a 4.37-second 40-yard sprint) and ball expertise (he is a transformed large receiver), and together with Brents and Jones will compete with guys like Isaiah Rodgers Sr. and Dallis Flowers for reps at outdoors cornerback within the coming weeks and months.

“All three corners, we wished so as to add competitors to that place wherein I feel we have been in a position to do,” Ballard stated. “The room goes to look slightly completely different with these guys added.”

After all, guys like Freeland, Adebawore, Hull, Scott, Leo and Witt will all need to compete for enjoying time and/or roster spots throughout OTAs and coaching camp, too. However with the 2023 NFL Draft within the books, the Colts’ scouting division recognized and introduced in an avalanche of athleticism. Now, it is on the Colts’ teaching employees to take these gamers, foster competitors and mould their athleticism into manufacturing on Sundays.

“Any time you possibly can add competitors to the room, it will make us all higher – the gamers and coaches,” Steichen stated. “All these guys with traits, clearly as a coach – the coaches we’ve within the constructing, we’re excited to get these guys in, get going with them and begin to develop them.”