OT prospects for Colts in each round of 2021 draft
The Indianapolis Colts will be entering the 2021 NFL draft looking to find a replacement for longtime left tackle Anthony Castonzo, who announced his retirement after 10 seasons following the 2020 campaign.
Though the Colts will toy with the idea of moving either Quenton Nelson or Braden Smith to left tackle, there is a strong chance they use one of their picks in first or second round at the position. This draft class boasts a deep group, many of which will have the attention of the Colts.
In free agency, the Colts made some small moves at offensive tackle. They signed Julién Davenport and Sam Tevi to the roster on one-year deals, which likely sets up the competition for the swing tackle spot on the depth chart.
We have also taken a look at wide receivers and edge rushers in each round for the Colts ahead of the draft.
Now, let’s take a look at offensive tackle prospects in each round of the 2021 draft for Indy:
Round 1
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Samuel Cosmi, Texas
There are several potential options for the Colts at No. 21, and there are strong arguments for those players as well. Assuming Penei Sewell and Rashawn Slater are gone, Cosmi might be the best option for the Colts if they want to go left tackle. He's an elite athlete who plays aggressively and has the movement skills to plug right in as the left tackle for the Colts. He was a team captain at Texas, which we know is a big deal for Chris Ballard. Cosmi checks a lot of boxes both on and off the field and should be heavily considered for the No. 21 overall pick. Other Round 1 OT prospects: Christian Darrisaw, Teven Jenkins
Round 2
AP Photo/Rusty Costanza)
Dillon Radunz, North Dakota State
Like in Round 1, there are some very intriguing options to begin Day 2 of the draft. If the Colts opt to go with an edge rusher at No. 21, they will have many options at No. 54. Radunz is a seamless fit for the Colts. He's an excellent athlete with length who plays with a mean streak and a desire to finish plays every time. Some of that might lead to being a bit too aggressive and his lack of strong competition is a concern. But Radunz showed out at the Senior Bowl, proving the competition concern might be a bit overblown. He's a strong fit for the Colts both schematically and mentality-wise. Other Round 2 OT prospects: Brady Christensen, Walker Little, Liam Eichenberg
Round 3
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D'Ante Smith, East Carolina
The Colts don't have a selection in the third round but given that most expect Chris Ballard to trade back and recoup a pick, we will keep it here. After the first two rounds, the issues at offensive tackle begin to become more clear. Smith isn't without his issues. He had two season-ending injuries in college and his technique has to be refined, especially when it comes to being a bit grabby while sustaining blocks. But with all that, Smith moves extremely well and has ideal size and length for the position. He has the mentality the Colts love in offensive linemen and had a strong Senior Bowl after missing most of the 2020 season due to injury. With some coaching, Smith could easily turn into a solid starting left tackle.
Round 4
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Spencer Brown, Northern Iowa
Getting into Day 3 is when the Colts will begin looking more for upside rather than an immediate solution to their need at left tackle. The upside with Brown is tremendous. He's a monstrosity of a man measuring at 6-foot-8 and 311 pounds with 34 3/4-inch arms. Despite that size, Brown recorded an elite 4.40 time in the short shuttle. Pad level and consistent technique will be the main focus for the team that drafts him. He did play right tackle so the Colts will have a decision to make in terms of who goes to the left side and he attended the Senior Bowl, which is a box for Indy. His competitiveness, length and athleticism make him the ideal upside target on Day 3 for the Colts.
Round 5
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Jaylon Moore, Western Michigan
Though Moore relies more on his movement skills rather than bullying defenders with power, he's a solid fit for the Colts' blocking scheme. He tested as a good, not great, athlete at his pro day but would still be a better fit in a scheme like the Colts, which features plenty of zone blocking. Some believe Moore may go ahead of the fifth round so it remains to be seen if Indy will have the chance on the middle of Day 3 to snag him, but he's a solid fit for the scheme and would compete with Davenport and Tevi for the starting role.
Round 6
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Larnal Coleman, Massachusetts
In the late rounds, it's all about upside. When getting into Day 3, Coleman is one of the prospects with plenty of upside and enough for the Colts to consider him as a project. Coleman is a strong athlete who boasts size (6-foot-6, 307 pounds) and length (35 1/2-inch arms). Coleman is relatively new to offensive line play—he switched from defensive line when he got to UMass. So he's still learning the nuances of the position. But his frame, length and athletic traits could unlock some very high potential. Coleman was a team captain in 2020 and has experience working at both right and left tackle.
Round 7
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Landon Young, Kentucky
Prospects selected on Day 3 aren't expected to have starting roles, even more so when it comes to the final round selections. Young is a solid athlete with strong explosive traits. He has good size and length to stay on the outside but there are questions about his technique, especially when it comes to his pad level and flexibility when protecting the arc. From Dane Brugler's draft guide: "Young shows the ability to sit in his stance and stay coordinated in his pass-sets to fend off rushers, but his inconsistent knee bend and high center will leave him falling off blocks. While he is solid in the run game, he doesn’t control blocks as expected. Overall, Young is a wide, strong blocker with average athleticism, but NFL speed will challenge his balance and technique and expose his struggles to recover. He projects as a back-end roster lineman." It wouldn't be all that inspiring of a pick, but Young was a team captain and was voted First-Team All-SEC in 2020.
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