Colts Land Shutdown DB in 2019 NFL Re-draft
When Indianapolis Colts General Manager Chris Ballard traded out of the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft with the now-Washington Football Team, Ballard grabbed a 2019 second round pick and a 2020 second round pick.
Though that trade looked strong on paper, considering the haul Ballard and the Colts received, but to date the Colts haven't quite gotten as much out of the trade that they could have. After trading back with Washington, Ballard and the Colts then traded back again with the Cleveland Browns, eventually picking TCU's Ben Banogu at 49 overall.
That 2020 second round pick from Washington turned into wide receiver Michael Pittman, so there is definitely significant potential there.
However, the Colts come away with neither Banogu or Pittman in a recent 2019 re-draft from Bleacher Report's Alex Kay, instead addressing a more significant need defensively ahead of the 2019 season.
Standing pat at No. 26 overall in 2019, Kay has the Colts grabbing cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting out of Central Michigan.
What actually happened: Traded pick to Washington, which drafted EDGE Montez Sweat
Where Murphy-Bunting was actually picked: No. 39 overall by the Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers scored two of the top cornerbacks in the 2019 draft when they took Sean Murphy-Bunting and Jamel Dean in the second and third rounds, respectively. The club won't get so lucky in a redraft, though, with Murphy-Bunting almost certainly a lock to come off the board within the first 32 selections.
He would be a great fit with the Colts, who missed out on taking one of the best pass-rushing prospects in the class, Montez Sweat, by trading this pick to Washington two years ago. While Sweat is long gone in a redraft, Indianapolis can grab Murphy-Bunting. The Colts need an injection of youth at the cornerback, especially after the team settled on re-signing 30-year-old corner Xavier Rhodes this offseason. Murphy-Bunting, 23, has already developed into a proven asset for Tampa's Super Bowl-winning defense.
Since entering the league, he has played in all 32 games and started in 23. He's generated four interceptions—including one returned for a touchdown—to go along with 11 passes defensed, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and a sack. He was a force when it mattered most, starting all four playoff games for the Bucs last year during their Super Bowl run and recording three interceptions and five passes defensed. Indy would heavily benefit from having a player of Murphy-Bunting's caliber to shore up the secondary for years to come.
Two years later, the selection of Murphy-Bunting for the Colts in this re-draft makes a ton of sense.
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In the 2019 season, the Colts rolled out rookie corner Rock Ya-Sin and veterans Kenny Moore and Pierre Desir at corner. While Moore and Desir were solid in 2019, Ya-Sin had a rough stretch and has really struggled to adapt to the NFL game.
Murphy-Bunting played an integral role in the Buccaneers winning the Super Bowl this past season, and has allowed Tampa Bay to do some different things up front defensively, knowing he can handle his own in coverage behind him.
Pairing Murphy-Bunting with someone like Moore long-term would have provided the Colts with a terrific pairing in the secondary, allowing them to focus on the pass rush and linebacker depth in the next few years.
Have thoughts on the selection of Sean Murphy-Bunting in the 2019 re-draft? Drop a line in the comments section below!
Follow Josh on Twitter @ByJoshCarney.
