ESPN analysis: “DeJean is a playmaker with the instincts, speed and natural hands to make plays in coverage and in the return game. He returned three of his five interceptions for touchdowns in 2022 and took back a punt for a touchdown in 2023. He has the length and burst to smother receivers underneath and recover when he gets caught out of position. DeJean is scheme- and position-versatile; he lined up outside, over the slot and at strong safety at Iowa.”

ESPN analysis: “McKinstry’s 2023 tape was inconsistent, but he is a fundamentally sound press corner who started 33 games at Alabama. He has good length, runs well enough to stick with receivers and locates the ball well. McKinstry also has the instincts and body control to smother receivers underneath. He makes it difficult for WRs to finish catches, and he broke up 20 passes over the past two seasons. He’s a dangerous punt returner with good open-field vison and burst.”

ESPN analysis: “Mitchell is a Georgia transfer who explodes off the line, runs a 4.34-second 40-yard dash and tracks the deep ball well. He’s smooth transitioning upfield and a threat to pull away from pursuit after the catch. He elevates well and has excellent body control, and he flashes as a route runner, with the potential to get even better in that area.”

ESPN analysis: “McConkey is an excellent route runner who explodes off the line, stems defenders, drops his weight at the top of his stem and accelerates out of breaks. His vision, stop-start quickness and speed make him a threat after the catch and in the return game. He ran a 4.39-second 40 at the combine, and he’s a threat to take the top off the coverage.”

ESPN analysis: “Coleman’s 4.61-second combine 40 time is a concern, but he grades out as an early-round pick based on the tape and performed well in other key tests for receivers in Indianapolis. His 10-yard split (1.54 seconds) is quicker than some of the receivers who ran the 40 in the mid-4.4s, and that burst shows up on tape, where he’s smooth accelerating off the line and after the catch. Coleman has the size and strength to come down with contested catches and break tackles after the catch. He led the ACC in touchdown catches (11), elevates well and is a tough matchup in the red zone.”

ESPN analysis: “Tampa is a scheme-versatile corner who has longer arms, flashes a strong punch and can make it difficult for receivers to get off the line. He mirrors the receiver’s release and smothers them when he’s able to stay on top of the route. Tampa is effective at reading receivers in man and recognizing route combinations in zone. He doesn’t catch everything he gets his hands on, but he has bigger hands for a corner, played the receiver position in high school and flashes the ability to pluck the ball out of the air.”

ESPN analysis: “Lassiter is a fundamentally sound press corner who uses the correct hand to jab receivers getting off the line and flips his hips well. He has the balance and footspeed to match up underneath. He quickly diagnoses routes in off-coverage and zone looks. But Lassiter is not a playmaker and you’d like to see him finish more — he intercepted one pass in 44 games at Georgia — but he puts himself in position to make plays and is highly competitive at the catch point.”

ESPN analysis: “Bullard is a versatile safety with outstanding closing burst breaking on passes thrown in front of him, and he takes good angles undercutting routes. He’s a big hitter with the range and instincts to cover a deep half. He’s competitive matching up with slot receivers and tight ends, tracking the ball well with good hand-eye coordination. And Bullard flashes the ability to high-point the ball. He’s also an aggressive run-defender who closes well and shows good stopping power.”

ESPN analysis: “Melton started 40 games at Rutgers, and he’s versatile showing the ability to line up on the inside and outside. He had an outstanding combine workout highlighted by a 4.39-second 40 time, and the testing matches up with what he shows on tape — the ability to run, close and recover. Melton has longer arms, played wide receiver in high school and picked off eight passes over the past three seasons.”

ESPN analysis: “Bishop is an interchangeable and versatile safety with good size and speed. He closes well and limits production after the catch when breaking on passes. He can turn and run with tight ends and bigger receivers, too. Bishop also gets to depth and reads the quarterback in underneath zone. Plus, he had three sacks in 2023 and has the burst to get to the quarterback when he blitzes. He’s a rangy run-defender with good stopping power.”

ESPN analysis: “Hicks can line up over the slot and high, but he is at his best playing close to the line of scrimmage. He is effective matching up with backs and tight ends and dropping into underneath zone when he lines up at linebacker depth. Hicks is a rangy run-defender who fills gaps and flashes the ability to disrupt plays in the backfield. He also can pluck the ball out of the air and is competitive in 50-50 situations.”

ESPN analysis: “Polk is a natural hands catcher with the radius and strength to reward his quarterback for throwing to him in 50/50 situations. With body control, he can adjust to passes thrown outside his frame and on back-shoulder throws. Polk tracks the ball well and has the speed to challenge vertically. He’s tough and can make plays in traffic. He also runs hard and has the balance to break tackles after the catch.”

ESPN analysis: “McMillan is an instinctive route runner with the burst and change-of-direction skills to get open quickly. He flashes the ability to make the first defender miss, accelerates well and runs hard after the catch. He’s a natural hands catcher with big hands and good length. McMillan is a lean receiver who missed four games and was limited in several others in 2023, but finished third in the Pac-12 in receiving yards in 2022 and has Day 2 tape.”

ESPN analysis: “Franklin set Oregon single-season receiving records for yards, touchdowns and 100-yard games in 2023. He has the extra gear to run by corners when he gets a clean release, and he tracks the deep ball well. Franklin flashes the ability to make the first defender miss, runs hard and is a threat to pull away after the catch. He had some uncharacteristic drops last year and didn’t come down with contested catches like he did in 2022, but Franklin has shown the ability to make difficult catches throughout his career.”

ESPN analysis: “Rice ranked third in the Pac-12 in average yards per catch (17.6) and fourth in the Pac-12 in touchdown catches (12) in 2023. He sticks his foot in the ground and makes crisp breaks at the top of his route. Rice has good size and the ability to separate with strength. He tracks the deep ball well, has enough speed to threaten vertically and the body control to adjust to back-shoulder throws. He has long arms to pluck passes out of the air.”

ESPN analysis: “Hart is a bigger corner who runs well for his size. He reads receivers, gets his eyes on the quarterback when the receiver breaks, plants and drives on the ball in off-coverage. He has the long arms and speed to compete in press coverage, and he matches up well with tight ends and bigger WRs when he lines up over the slot. He intercepted only two passes at Notre Dame, so he’s not a ball hawk or playmaker, but he has the length and frame to break up passes and compete for 50-50 balls.”

Cornerback, safety, and wide receiver are the most pressing needs, but linebacker could be a sneaky one that we see the Colts address. There are mostly question marks on the depth chart behind Zaire Franklin and EJ Speed this season, not to mention that Speed is a free agent in 2025.

Edgerrin Cooper, Texas A&M

Junior Colson, Michigan

Payton Wilson, NC State

Cedric Gray, UNC

Trevin Wallace, Kentucky

Jeremiah Trotter Jr., Clemson

Curtis Jacobs, Penn State

Like the linebacker position, this may not be a huge need in 2024, but the draft is about planning ahead, and if we take a peek to 2025, both Will Fries and Ryan Kelly are scheduled to be free agents.

Christian Haynes, UCONN

Cooper Beebe, Kansas State

Sataoa Laumea, Utah

Zak Zinter, Michigan

Christian Mahogany, Boston College

Jackson Powers-Johnson, Oregon

Zach Frazier, West Virginia

Tanor Bortolini, Wisconsin

Hunter Nourzad, Penn State

Likely not a position that we see addressed on Day 2 of the draft – or at all – but Mo-Alie Cox is entering the final year of his contract, filling that more traditional in-line role, and in general, this is a position group that the Colts need to get more out of in the passing game.

Ja’Tavion Sanders, Texas

Cade Stover, Ohio State

Ben Sinnott, Kansas State

Tanner McLachlan, Arizona

Tip Reiman, Illinois

Jared Wiley, TCU

Theo Johnson, Penn State