Colts pick Oregon State WR Anthony Gould at No. 142 of NFL draft 2024. Our scouting report
INDIANAPOLIS — The NFL changed the rules this offseason to encourage more kick returns, a rule change that emphasized the need for the Colts to find a true return man. Indianapolis found one on the third day of the draft on Saturday, using one of the fifth-rounders picked up in the trade back Friday from No. 46 to No. 52 to take Oregon State wide receiver Anthony Gould, a diminutive wide receiver with excellent open field ability, at No. 142.
Anthony Gould scouting report
Gould's a diminutive prospect at 5-8, 174 pounds, but his speed is impossible to ignore. Gould ran the 40-yard dash in 4.39 seconds at the NFL scouting combine, and his immediate value is likely as a return man.
The Oregon State product was a rotational piece at wide receiver, but he has the potential to be an electric punt returner, a spot left open by Isaiah McKenzie's departure in free agency and the team's desire to limit the toll on slot receiver Josh Downs. Indianapolis might also use a player like Gould on jet sweeps and bubble screens, the role McKenzie played.
Anthony Gould stats, higlights
Gould had 84 catches for 1,360 yards and six touchdowns in essentially three seasons at Oregon State, turning in his best year as a receiver with 44 catches for 718 yards and two touchdowns in 2023. As a punt returner, Gould averaged 18.3 yards per return as a junior and 16.1 as a senior, and he returned two punts for touchdowns during the 2022 season.
Anthony Gould height, weight
5-foot-8, 174 pounds, 29 5/8-inch arms, 8 7/8-inch hands.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Colts pick WR Anthony Gould in Round 5 of NFL draft. Expert analysis
