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There are loads of talented players coming out in the 2017 draft class. Many of who will be perfect fits for the Indianapolis Colts. Many fans are thinking, the Colts need to upgrade the offensive line. Where some others are saying they must drastically improve on defense. You even have a few who think Indy needs to focus on running back early and give Andrew Luck another weapon to help take pressure off the passing game. You ALL would be right! But, who to draft and where is the question of course.

Listed below I have 7 players that some of you may not know of very well. That being said, you may want to get to know them because they could be outstanding fits for the Indianapolis Colts.[NickPoalson]

  1. T.J. Watt: OLB – Wisconsin  He is the Younger brother of all pro defensive end JJ Watt and showed that big bro isn’t the only one who can wreak havoc on opposing quarterbacks. TJ Watt finished his junior season with the Badgers with 63 total tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss, and 11.5 sacks. He has fantastic burst, good strength, perfect size (6’5″ 243 lbs), and a relentless motor. This is a player that is projected to go in the 1st to 2nd round. He would be a great fit for the Colts 3-4 defensive scheme at weak side linebacker. They could look at possibly grabbing him in the 2nd round. If he lasts that long.
  2. Harold Landry: OLB/DE – Boston College  Now here is a name you need to remember. Landry isn’t projected in many mock drafts to go until the 2nd to 3rd round. That creates a great opportunity for the Colts. Landry has the size to play outside linebacker at 6’3″ 250 pounds. But what was even more impressive during his 2016 season was that he led the nation in sacks (16.5) and forced fumbles (7). He also finished the season with 22 tackles for loss which was 3rd in the nation. His speed needs some improvement but his fundamentals and tackling ability are fantastic.
  3. Josh Reynolds: WR – Texas A&M  Josh Reynold is a player who has numbers that will not blow you away. He caught 61 passes for 1,039 yards and 12 touchdowns. So why should he be on this list? Size and his ability to high point the ball and bring in the 50/50 passes. He is 6’4″ 195 pounds. Having him put on about 10 to 15 pounds of muscle wouldn’t hurt. But his numbers are incredibly similar to all pro receiver Mike Evans. Evans during his final year at A&M had 69 catches, 1,394 yards, and 12 touchdowns. Remember that Mike Evans had Johnny Manziel as his QB where Reynolds had Trevor Knight. This could really help give Luck a receiver with size and solid speed.
  4. Pat Elflien: OG/C – Ohio State  I’m sure some of you were thinking, “DUDE, OFFENSIVE LINE!!!”. So here you go. Elflien is a player that was a Rimington award winner, which is awarded to the nations best center. Now the Indianapolis Colts wouldn’t use him at center. He would be a phenomenal fit at right guard. We have really struggled to find consistency there and Elflien played two seasons at guard before being moved to center in 2016. He has the size and fundamentals to play guard in the NFL. He just needs to get a little stronger to be able to handle 330 plus pound nose tackles.
  5. Taylor Moton: OT – Western Michigan  Moton is a player that performed very well during this year’s senior bowl. He has great size at 6’5″ 330 pounds and has the strength to be a solid performer in the run game. What else is nice about Moton is that he is a player the Colts could possibly land in the 4th round which is a fantastic value pick. The real question mark is, has he played against good enough talent to perform well in the NFL. The position that would be best for Moton is at right tackle.
  6. Joe Mixon: RB – Oklahoma  Now there is loads of drama surrounding Mixon from his 2014 incident where he punched a woman and was suspended for the entire 2014 season. Ballard has shown in the past that he isn’t afraid of pushing for his team to add players that have some controversy surrounding them (Tyreek Hill, Marcus Peters). Mixon is going to most likely fall in this year’s draft because of it. But, he is probably a top 5 running back when it comes to overall talent. He is a 6 foot 225 pound back with 4.4 speed and great vision. He also has shown to be a solid receiver out of the backfield. This could give the Indianapolis Colts a real play maker with great size.
  7. Tanoh Kpassagnon: DE – Villanova  This guy is a freak when it comes to size and athleticism. He played at Villanova which definitely doesn’t play against top tier talent. But during his time at the senior bowl, he was a monster. He showed to have great speed for his size (6’7″ 290 lbs) and his strength is unbelievable. This is someone who could play defensive end and give the Colts a player that can pressure the quarterback, bat down passes, and is stout against the run.[Sean2]

There are MANY other players that would be great fits for the Indianapolis Colts. They could really find some potential starters in rounds 3 and 4 possibly. Now the pressure is on for Chris Ballard and Chuck Pagano to find the right guys. Ballard has said himself that he is very big on height, speed, and overall size when it comes to picking players. This year’s draft is crucial for the Colts and Ballard needs to get it right.

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