Colts select Alec Pierce at No. 53 overall: Instant analysis
The Indianapolis Colts moved back in the second round with a trade and wound up selecting wide receiver Alec Pierce with the No. 53 overall pick.
The need at wide receiver was too strong for the Colts to ignore and with how the draft board fell, they were able to trade back, add an extra third-rounder and still get a player who has been labeled a perfect fit all along.
How this pick helps the Colts
With Michael Pittman Jr. leading the wide receiver room, it was vital for the Colts to find him a running mate. Pierce was a near-perfect fit for the Colts throughout the draft process, checking essentially every box they have when it comes to prospects.
This pick helps the Colts because Pierce is a big (6’3, 211) vertical threat (4.41 speed) who can work both at the X and Z receiver spots. Pierce gets vertical extremely quickly and shows plenty of promise as a route runner.
What this pick does for offense
Pierce is going to open up the passing game immensely for the Colts. Whether he’s getting vertical from the slot or the boundary, Pittman Jr. and the rest of the receivers are going to be thankful with the intermediate lanes open.
How he will be used
Pierce can line up on the outside as he did mostly with the Bearcats. In Cincinnati, he worked mostly as the X-receiver. That role belongs to Pittman Jr., but Pierce is flexible enough to work more as a speed-Z/flanker receiver.
Quick grade of the pick
While I really loved Skyy Moore as a prospect, it’s hard to blame the Colts for choosing Pierce over him. The size, speed and vertical threat element is exactly what the Colts needed on offense. He was also a team captain and will bring a lot of leadership to the roster. There is some development to be done naturally, but this is about as strong as a pick as it gets.
Grade: A
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