Grading all 7 picks in the Colts’ 2021 draft class

The Indianapolis Colts concluded the 2021 NFL draft with seven picks by the end of the weekend, hoping to find some new impact players on both sides of the ball.

We will just get this out of the way. Draft grades are as useless The Vision was in “Avengers: Infinity War.”

They don’t mean anything in the grand scheme of things and because these players haven’t even stepped on an NFL field yet, it’s all projection. On top of that, it’s subjective to the writer based on their views of the value relative to team needs and how they felt about other prospects on the board.

But with that said, here’s how we graded the Colts’ draft class in 2021:

Round 1 | DE Kwity Paye

The Colts got a steal with Paye falling to them at No. 21 overall. Addressing their biggest need while matching incredible value is what the draft is all about. They were able to do that perfectly with the Michigan product here. The combination of size, speed, athleticism and bend, the Colts got it all with Paye. He possesses incredible upside in their aggressive, one-gap front to be a consistent game-wrecker from the edge. He can start right away on early downs thanks to his impact against the run while developing his game as a pass rusher. There were only a few prospects that would have kept the Colts from trading down. Paye was probably at the top of that list of realistic prospects. He brings a high floor with immense upside to be a consistent sack artist. Grade: A+

Round 2 | DL Dayo Odeyingbo

This is the pick that has most draft analysts upset with the Colts. The biggest need was clearly offensive tackle but after a massive run at the position in the second round, Chris Ballard decided it wasn't worth reaching for a lesser prospect just to fill a need. So instead, they went with the highest player ranked on their board at the time. Before the Achilles injury in January, the Colts had a first-round grade on Odeyingbo. He was graded higher than most of the offensive tackles that went on Day 2 and even though his rehab will keep him off of the field to begin the season, the Colts see him having a strong impact when he comes back. It's easy to see why they think that. Odeyingbo is massive, explosive and versatile. He can work from the edge or kick inside to the three-technique. The only question will be how he returns from the Achilles injury, which is a fair question to be asked. Offensive tackle was a need, but the value at No. 54 didn't seem to match up. Odeyingbo would have seemingly come off the board shortly after the Colts' pick so they are probably happy they got their guy. We will see what happens with this selection, but the upside Odeyingbo possesses could very much be worth the Day 2 capital. Because of this, it's likely best to reserve judgement until we see what kind of impact Odeyingbo has when he returns. Grade: B-

Round 4 | TE Kylen Granson

For the first time in the Chris Ballard era and the first time since 2013, the Colts drafted a tight end. Granson is a strong fit for the offense as an H-back who can line up in the backfield, inline or detached in the slot. For me, I would have liked to see the Colts take a prospect like D'Ante Smith or Stone Forsythe. It was probably too early on Larnal Coleman. That may have added better competition to the left tackle position. But with that said, it's easy to understand why Granson is a good pick. He's explosive in the open field with the ball in his hands and can produce right away as the move/flex tight end in the formation. Tight end was an underrated need. Jack Doyle will be 32 years old and isn't much of an impact in the passing game. Mo Alie-Cox is still developing as a route runner. After that, the Colts didn't have much to work with. So while it would have been nice to see the Colts go after a high-upside offensive tackle, Granson might be the best fit throughout the draft class and there's clear upside to this selection. Grade: B

Round 5 | S Shawn Davis

The Colts have their starters in Khari Willis and Julian Blackmon but it was expected that some depth would be added to the room. Davis is a hard-hitting safety with great athleticism. He's is a good fit for what the Colts want. Davis will have an impact on special teams most likely. He's aggressive to the ball and offers plenty of juice. Many analysts have said that Davis is solid in run support but struggles in the open field in terms of consistency of tackling and can take poor angles to the ball carrier. Davis is most likely going to be a special teams contributor while Willis, Blackmon and the other Sean Davis rotate at safety. In all, it's a Day 3 pick that will result in some special teams work with potential to get into the rotation. Grade: C

Round 6 | QB Sam Ehlinger

Sam Ehlinger

After the Colts traded back with the New Orleans Saints, marking their first trade of the draft, they made somewhat of a surprise pick in Ehlinger out of Texas. Despite having drafted Jacob Eason in the fourth round just one year prior, the Colts are clearly bringing him some serious competition. Ehlinger a very different quarterback than Eason. He's very mobile both in the pocket and out of structure. He struggled with anticipation and accuracy for the most part but brings plenty of toughness to the quarterback room. The pick in itself is fine in the sixth round, especially since the Colts need to find out who their backup to Carson Wentz is. But if Ehlinger beats out Eason for the backup role, there are going to be a lot of questions about the fourth round of the 2020 draft. Grade: C+

Round 7 | WR Michael Strachan

The Colts are always looking for big bodies in the wide receiver room. One year after drafting Michael Pittman Jr. and Dezmon Patmon, they get another intriguing upside pick with Strachan. A great size/speed wideout, Strachan comes from the Divison-II University of Charleston in West Virginia. He has plenty of development ahead of him, but he was ultra-productive in college and has an intriguing build at 6-foot-5 and 229 pounds and ran a 4.54 in the 40-yard dash. His speed score, which is the 40-time relative to height and weight, is in the 87th percentile, per Player Profiler. If the Colts can develop his route running, Strachan is a really interesting pick. Grade: B

Round 7 | OT Will Fries

The Colts finally grabbed an offensive lineman but because they waited until the seventh round, most analysts have dinged their grade for that. Where Fries will primarily line up remains to be seen. He's a versatile piece that has started at every position except for center. Fries will be in the competition for the left tackle position but might be better suited for guard. He could hold a Joe Haeg type of role where he works all over the line wherever the Colts need him to. He's a strong athlete and is technically sound, but his short arms might kick him inside. Still, this is a solid pick for depth purposes as many had Fries graded higher than the seventh round. Grade: B

Overall Grade

Syndication: The Indianapolis Star

The Colts will get dragged by the media because they didn't draft Anthony Castonzo's successor and part of that is fair. But when listening to what the Colts have said about why they didn't take a tackle early, it's best to give them the benefit of the doubt. After all, Chris Ballard wasn't named the best drafting general manager in the NFL for nothing. There is development that has to take place with every pick, but that's expected of every rookie. The Colts got a ready edge rusher in Paye who can make a huge difference. The upside with Odeyingbo is real as long as he doesn't get setback by the Achilles. Then on Day 3, the picks of Granson, Strachan and Fries all possess upside and value while Davis could compete for a role on special teams during his rookie campaign. Overall Grade: B

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