Breaking down Indianapolis Colts 2009 NFL Draft: Knowshon Moreno

On April 10, 2009, In General, By John Oehser

Indy Football Report today continues its prospect-by-prospect look at the Indianapolis Colts’ 2009 NFL Draft with a look at Georgia running back Knowshon Moreno . . . 

While many draft analysts are convinced Moreno will be gone by the time the Colts draft at No. 27, several recent mocks — including IFR v 2.0 — have had him slipping to late in the first round. Colts fans commenting on IFR understandably are intrigued by the idea of Moreno — a dynamic, entertaining, big-play back — and many believe although the Colts may have greater “needs,” that because of his talent he may be too good to pass.

So, today we’ll take a closer look.

Quickly, a reminder on the format for IFR’s looks at potential Colts draftees. We’re taking a look first at the basics for each player, then giving a synopsis of college stats, all-star games, combine performance and Pro Day results. Then, we’re breaking down where each prospect is being selected in a variety of mock drafts. For now, IFR’s Breaking Down the Indianapolis Colts 2009 NFL Draft segment will be using the following mock drafts: The Football Expert (3/29), Pete Prisco of CBS Sports (3/11), John McLain of the Houston Chronicle (3/15), Pat Kirwan of NFL.com (4/1), www.walterfootball.com and a USA Today eight-person panel (3/30).

That gives a decent variety of mocks from six sources — 13 if you consider each of USA Today’s eight-person panel. I’ll also make use of a good tool on Scout.com — the Draft Muncher.

So, here’s a look at . . .

 

Knowshon Moreno, Georgia, RB . . .

1) The Basics . . .

College: Georgia.

Year: Sophomore.

Ht: 5-11. Wt: 207.

Born: July 16, 1987.

Hometown: Belford, N.J.

High School: Middletown (N.J.) High School South.

* Georgia media guide entry.

* Wikipedia entry.

* A fan site dedicated to Moreno.

 

2) The Statistics . . .

2008:  250 rushes, 1,400 yards, 16 TDs / 33 receptions, 392 yards, 2 TDs

Career (four seasons): 498 rushes, 2,736 yards, 30 TDs / 53 receptions, 645 yards, 2 TDs 

* Moreno’s statistics/ESPN

 

3) The Highlights . . .

* Google’s Knowshon Moreno Video Page.

* A Fox Draft Preview

 

4) The All-Star Games . . .

Did not participate. He declared for the NFL Draft after his sophomore season, which he was able to do under NFL rules because he red-shirted as a freshman.

 

 5) The Combine . . .

Moreno spoke confidently of improving running in the 4.4-second-range at the NFL Scouting Combine in February. He ran a 4.6, which wasn’t what he wanted but was one of many times considered slower than expected by running backs at the combine. “Top end” speed is a buzzword you hear around Moreno a lot, but he performed in college without it, and many great running backs haven’t been burners. See: Emmitt Smith.

Before . . .

* USA Today blogs on Moreno before combine.

* A story from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution just before his combine workout.

After . . .

* Fan site weighs in on Moreno’s combine.

* Another site weighs in.

 

6) The Pro Day Reports . . .

A theme has developed about Moreno in the offseason leading to the draft. It’s one that confirms what many seemed to be saying in the fall, and that that’s while Moreno’s not a blazer, that shouldn’t keep him from being a first-round selection. He ran 40-yard dash times of 4.6 and 4.63 seconds at his Pro Day in Athens, Ga., on March 19, but ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay doesn’t think that was too slow for him to remain in the first round.

* AJC covers UGA’s Pro Day.

* More on the Pro Day from NFL Draft Scout.

* The fan site weighs in.

 

7) Recent news . . .

 *A recent ProFootball Weekly item quoting UGA RB coach.

* Google news page on Knowshon Moreno.

 

8 ) What the Best Draft Links are Saying . . .

* NFL Draft Scout.

* Fftoolbox.

 

9) Breaking Down the Mocks . . .

Selected by the Colts: None.

Available at No. 27:Five of 13 mocks (walterfootball.com, Football Expert, Prisco, Larry Weisman/USA Today, Derek H arper/NFLDraftScout.com).

Selected in first round: 12 of 13.

Highest: No. 14, New Orleans . . . two writers/analysts (Jim Corbett/USA Today and Nate Davis/USA Today).

Lowest: Out of first round (Prisco).

From the muncher: As of March 16, one in the Scout.com’s draft muncher was naming Moreno as the Colts’ selection at No. 27.

 

10) IFR Analysis . . .

A little more than two weeks before the 2009 NFL Draft, Moreno has begun to pique the interest of Colts fans. Actually, it’s probably more accurate to say he’s a distant dream of many Colts fans, because while Moreno is a dazzling prospect with memorable YouTube moments, most analysts seem convinced that he won’t be available when the Colts select at No. 27. The discussion of Moreno typically turns to speed, and all indications are that Moreno indeed lacks that pure, burning speed of, say, a Fred Taylor in his prime. Then again, most backs do, and the truth is, most great backs don’t have that breakaway gear. Edgerrin James was an effective back without 4.3 speed and Joseph Addai rushed for more than 1,000 yards in each of his first two seasons without long, breakaway runs. A burner can add an element to an offense, but the NFL is about an ability to make the first tackler miss far more than it is the ability to “take it to the house” once that first guy is missed. From what I can tell from Moreno’s clips, he absolutely has that ability and as such, he would be intriguing choice should he fall to No. 27. It could be a Reggie Wayne-type selection in that I’m not sure Colts President Boll Polian is heading into the draft thinking he must have a running back — as was the case in 2006 with Addai — but he also knows the value of having impact offensive players, and there is a thought you can’t have enough of them. There’s probably a pretty small chance Moreno comes to the Colts, but it sure would be entertaining if he did.

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2009 Indianapolis Colts NFL Draft: The Top 25 picks of the Polian Era, No. 16

On April 10, 2009, In General, By John Oehser

The draft series covering the Indianapolis Colts’  Top 25 selections of the Bill Polian era continues today with the No. 16 selection . . .

No. 16 . . .

Marlin Jackson, CB, Michigan / First Round, 2005 / No. 29 overall

It struck me as interesting when an IFR reader asked me the other day if I thought there was a chance Marlin Jackson could be considered a bust. Not even close.

Jackson, the Colts’ first-round selection in the 2005 NFL Draft, may not have the huge upside of Kelvin Hayden — a corner drafted in the second round in 2005 – but he has has played extensively since being drafted, played a key role in ‘06 and from all accounts, played near a Pro Bowl level in ‘07.

Because the unit were injured throughout 2008, it’s easy to forget that the Colts’ secondary was one of the NFL’s best in 2007, and because he missed the last half of the season, it’s easy to forget that Jackson was a big part of that.

But he was.

What I’ve been impressed with the most with Jackson over the years is his ability to be a solid, productive player regardless of circumstance. The Colts typically don’t draft players to start immediately. Mike Pollak did at guard last season, but before that, the team’s last first selection to start consistently was tight end Dallas Clark in 2003. Jackson didn’t start as a rookie, but he played as a nickelback, and while he didn’t start at corner in his second season, he started at safety half the season in place of Bob Sanders.

He moved into the starting lineup in 2007, and through that season, looked as if he was easing into a long-term impact role in the defense. He had numerous big hits, and developed into what the Colts’ Cover 2 defense needs: a sure tackling cornerback who also is a solid cover guy.

The Colts from 2001-2004 had a remarkable run of first selections. Wide receiver Reggie Wayne. Defensive end Dwight Freeney. Tight end Dallas Clark. Safety Bob Sanders. Three have made the Pro Bowl, and Clark is on the cusp. Jackson may not be quite at a Pro Bowl level, but he wasn’t far off in 2007, and as was the case with linebacker Rob Morris at No. 17, if a franchise drafts this well in the first round every season, it will compete at a high level for a long time.

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National Football Post: Colts ranked ninth in “Best Organizations in NFL”

On April 10, 2009, In General, By John Oehser

You wonder what a team must do. Or an owner, for that matter.

What I’m talking about is the Indianapolis Colts this week being named the NFL’s ninth-best organization by the National Football Post.

Now, I hesitate to argue too loudly a ranking position or two. And I grasp that a national writer will often miss the details of the strengths of a local team, although I’m not sure how you objectively leave the Colts out of the Top 4 or 5. I’m a huge fan of how the Steelers do things. I admire the Patriots for their consistency. But beyond that, how many organizations rank with the Colts for organization, success, stability, etc? The Chargers? Perhaps. The Eagles? Another solid organization, but consider the Colts since 1999:

Nine playoff appearances in 10 seasons. Seven consecutive playoff appearances. An NFL-record six consecutive seasons with 12 victories or more. A Super Bowl title. A three-time Most Valuable Player at quarterback. A president — Bill Polian — whose draft selections with the team have made 26 Pro Bowls. Comparatively few off-field incidents.

But whatever. One man’s opinion.

Mostly, I have issue with the logic used placing the Colts No. 9:

The Colts have enjoyed a superb run on the field in the Bill Polian-Tony Dungy-Peyton Manning eras. They have the NFL’s second-best record, the most playoff appearances and a Super Bowl title. They open a new stadium in 2009 that should be state of the art, and they didn’t have to pay for it. So shouldn’t Irsay be ranked higher? Perhaps he should, but he still bears the stigma of his late father’s erratic behavior and midnight run from Baltimore. If Indy can sustain its level of excellence as Manning ages and without the rock-solid presence of Dungy, Irsay may rightfully claim a place in the first tier.

I’ll start by saying I make mistakes. I misspelled Texas defensive end Brian Orakpo’s name in Indy Football Report’s Mock Draft v 1.0 and forgot the Bears-Broncos trade in the second version. So, I won’t criticize for not knowing that Lucas Oil Stadium opened last year, but I will question judging an organization and an owner on being the son of a man who died more than a decade ago.

I’ve said plenty of times it’s long since time to stop blaming Jim Irsay for his father’s actions. I sort of thought most people had.

Irsay never has gotten enough credit for hiring Polian, or for his role in hiring Dungy. He also would have gotten plenty of blame for taking Ryan Leaf over Peyton Manning in 1998 had that happened, so he has to get some credit for the team making the right choice. I won’t sit here and write that Jim Irsay’s perfect, and I don’t think he’d tell you he was, either. I’m sure he has made mistakes as an owner, but to say he bears the stigma of his father’s behavior?

Not only do I not think it wouldn’t be fair if it was true, I’m not even sure it’s true at all anymore. If it is, well, it’s just, plain time to move on.

I don’t want to rip a writer too much. Such lists are meant to promote just these sorts of discussions and anytime you rank teams 1-32, you’re going to hit some details and miss some others.

But sometimes when you see stuff like this, you do wonder what a team must do. Or an owner, for that matter.

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Catching up with Colts: Schedule to be released Tuesday

On April 10, 2009, In General, By John Oehser

Catching up with Indianapolis Colts news . . .

* Linebacker Tyjuan Hagler, who re-signed with the Colts Wednesday, is happy to be back with the team. That’s not surprising, but the DailyJournal.com — a website/newspaper covering Hagler’s hometown of Kankakee, Ill. – reached Hagler and spoke to him for Thursday’s editions:

Yeah, I’m definitely feeling pretty good. I’m going into my fifth year in the NFL, and it’s good to be going back with the Colts.

Hagler told the paper his heart was always in Indianapolis.

It means a lot to me. They’re the team that believed in me coming out of college and drafted me. They still believe in me. . . . We always kept in touch through the whole free-agent process and always knew that I had a home there. I was weighing my options, but I always knew coming back to the Colts was my best option.

* The 2009 NFL schedule will be released Tuesday on NFL.com and the NFL Network.

* Matt Mosley of ESPN.com says New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning, the younger brother of Peyton Manning, has put in a good word for Marvin Harrison.

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IFR Mock Draft: The Readers’ Version, Selections 1-5

On April 10, 2009, In General, By John Oehser

Thanks to the readers who participated in the first day of Indy Football Report’s Readers’ Mock Draft.

I got some interesting feedback and cal tell this is going to be educational, and perhaps more difficult than I expected. I’ll certainly need to made a lot of “Editor’s Decisions” that not everybody will agree with, but I think the whole thing will be fodder for discussion. And really, isn’t that what the draft is about?

So I guess we’re on the clock with . . .

 

No. 1 / Detroit Lions . . . Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia.

There was a lot of debate here. I threw out Stafford in the original list to get the discussion started, and considered moving offensive tackle Jason Smith of Baylor into No. 1, primarily because I think rpcmd is right when he says “there seems to be constant grumblings about how they don’t love him.” The Iowa Hawkeye also said ”that the Lions would be darn fools to take a QB this year without having an O-line to protect him,” but what sort of steered me toward Stafford was something else Hawkeye said, “which is probably why they will do exactly that. They love to take big names in the draft and then let them wither and die without a strong supporting cast.” I don’t know that the Lions won’t try to build Stafford a strong supporting cast, but I do think it’s awfully tough to sit at No. 1 overall and pass on a quarterback when you don’t have one and when there’s one there remotely close to being with the pick. Hawkeye said “the smartest thing to do is to build an O-line with the two first-round picks they have and build up the core of their team. Then, Culpepper as QB and feel free to lose more games than anyone else again this season so they can lock in the #1 pick again next year and go for Tim Tebo or Sam Bradford as a franchise QB.” I can’t see a team building around Tebo, but as sensible as the rest of that concept is, teams just don’t casually feel free to lose games for the No. 1 selection in the following year’s draft. They’re all confident they can win right away and sometimes they’re right. See: Miami Dolphins ‘08.

 

No. 2 / St. Louis Rams . . . Jason Smith, OT, Baylor. 

I tried to move Smith out of this spot, probably as a desire to change something in the Top 5 I threw out — didn’t want to look like I wasn’t listing. I couldn’t do it, particularly after Hawkeye’slogic for having the Lions take Smith: ”They simply have to build their core.” So do the Rams, particularly after the loss of Orlando Pace. I’m a big offensive-tackle-early-in-the-draft-guy, probably from my days covering Tony Boselli in Jacksonville.

 

No. 3 / Kansas City Chiefs . . . Brian Orakpo, DE, Texas.

I had to be talked out of Wake Forest linebacker Aaron Curry here, but I gave Hawkeye this pick at No. 3. I keep reading that Curry’s a lock for the position, but if the Chiefs believe Orakpo is a big-time pass rusher then you can’t pass on a guy who can pressure the quarterback this high. Part of me agrees with rpcmd that my original pick of Curry “was great,” but then again, why wouldn’t I think I’m great?

 

No. 4 / Seattle Seahawks  . . . Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech.

I originally threw Eugene Monroe on here, which Shake was fine with, but I tend to agree with rpcmd who says while no one would fault Seattle for taking Monroe they already have left tackle Walter Jones. Rpcmdwrestled with Texas Tech wide receiver Michael Crabtree and a quarterback, the latter of which for this draft likely would be Mark Sanchez of Southern Cal. He also mentioned Orakpo,but said it likely would come down to a quarterback or receiver. They have Matt Hasselbeck and I wonder if they’re quite ready to make the leap to the future. The Iowa Hawkeye likes Jeremy Maclin here, but I already gave him Orakpo at No. 3.

 

No. 5 / Cleveland Browns . . . Aaron Curry, LB, Wake Forest.

Rpcmd likes defensive tackle B.J. Raji of Boston College here, but there’s a feeling he’s sliding a notch or two and I can’t see Curry slipping out of the Top 5. A lot of people think he’s the best player available in the entire draft regardless of position. Hawkeye likes Curry here because he had Orakpo at No. 3.

 

My favorite comment came from Shake, who said, “I like the top 5. It could go a lot of different ways (especially with Detroit and STL reportedly trying to trade down), but I think that’s the safe, best bet top 5.” We didn’t go safe, but we got a Top Five, and with that set, I’ll throw out Nos. 6-10:

 

No. 6 / Cincinnati / Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia.

No. 7 / Oakland / Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri

No. 8 / Jacksonville / Mark Sanchez, QB, Southern Cal

No. 9 / Green Bay / Everette Brown, DE, Florida State

No. 10 / San Francisco / Michael Oher, OT, Ole Miss

Good picks? Bad picks? This should get more interesting as we move on. Let’s keep things going.

 
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Hey, Oehser: A question about a dream

On April 10, 2009, In General, By John Oehser

Indy Football Report Editor John Oehser answers the questions of Indianapolis Colts fans (and anyone else who happens to be reading .  . .)

Hey, Oehser . . .

So, this question is mostly whimsy, but what is the likelihood of there being another walk-on, Vince Papale-type player in the NFL? What I’m getting at is, how can I tryout for the practice squad, having never played college ball but perhaps having some of the gifts of a typical OG or DT? (No I’m not entirely serious about the second part…)

Matt

Matt,

By the wording of your question, and the parenthetical addition, you already know it’s pretty unlikely, mostly because it would be tough to come from so far outside the system these days. Another thing standing in the way is the idea of trying out for the practice squad. The reality is the practice squad isn’t just to practice against the team. Although that’s a role, it’s also used as a developmental spot and a place to keep players ready in emergencies. A good number of the Colts’ practice squad plays a game or two a year during the season when needed. The practice squad guys are a hair below the active roster and in many cases, are more than talented enough to be playing on someone’s roster. I wouldn’t dare dampen someone’s dream, and anything’s possible, but obviously the likelihood is low.

Have a question for Indy Football Report Editor John Oehser? Email him at IFROehser@aol.com and he’ll answer them in “Hey, Oehser.  . .” each morning. 

 
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Waking up: On the air

On April 10, 2009, In General, By John Oehser

Good morning . . .

I missed my scheduled appearance on The Zone on XL 950 Wednesday, but Greg Rakestraw and Derek Schultz were kind enough to allow me to reschedule for today. The Zone airs each weekday on XL 950 from 3-6 p.m. 

My apologies to Greg and Derek and I look forward to joining them today.

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Indianapolis Colts 2009 NFL Draft: The Quarterback Position

On April 9, 2009, In General, By John Oehser

Indy Football Report Writer John Oehser details the Quarterback position in the 2009 NFL Draft . . .

 

1) The Guy . . .

Matthew Stafford, Georgia. Widely expected to be the first quarterback selected in the NFL Draft, the debate over the next two weeks likely will be whether Stafford will go to the Detroit Lions at No. 1 overall or slide to the Seattle Seahawks at No. 4. . . .

* Stats of The Guy.

* Clips of The Guy.

* Why He’s The Guy.

* The Latest on The Guy.

 

 

2) The Rest of the First Round . . .

Mark Sanchez, Southern California. Widely expected to be selected anywhere from eighth (Jacksonville) to 12th (Denver).

* Sanchez stats.

* Sanchez video.

* Sanchez profile.

* Sanchez news.

Josh Freeman, Kansas State. Widely expected to be selected anywhere from seventeenth (New York Jets) the second round, but his stock has been rising steadily since the end of last season.

* Freeman stats.

* Freeman video.

* Freeman profile.

* Freeman news.

 

 

3) The Top 20 . . .

Player, School, Ht., Wt., 40 / Projected Round

Matthew Stafford, Georgia, 6-2¼, 225, 4.83 / 1

Mark Sanchez, Southern Cal, 6-2⅛, 227, 4.88 / 1

Josh Freeman, Kansas State, 6-5¾, 248, 4.97 / 1-2

Pat White, West Virginia, 6-0, 197, 4.55 / 2-3

Rhett Bomar, Sam Houston St., 6-2¼, 225, 4.82 / 2-3

Stephen McGee, Texas A&M , 6-2⅞, 225, 4.6 / 2-3

Nate Davis, Ball State, 6-1⅜, 226, 4.95 / 4-5

Tom Brandstater, Fresno State, 6-5, 220, 4.95 / 5-6

Nathan Brown, Central Arkansas, 6-0⅝, 219, 4.86 / 5-6

John Parker Wilson, Alabama, 6-1½, 219, 4.87 / 6-7

Mike Reilly, Central Washington, 6-3, 214, 4.92 / 6-7

Graham Harrell, Texas Tech, 6-2⅛, 223, 5.07 / 6-7

Hunter Cantwell, Louisville, 6-4⅜, 235, 5.17 / 6-7

Curtis Painter, Purdue, 6-2⅞, 225, 4.92 / 6-7

Brian Hoyer, Michigan State, 6-2, 215, 5.02 / 6-7

Cullen Harper, Clemson, 6-3, 226, 5.01 / 6-7

Rudy Carpenter, Arizona State, 6-1⅝, 218, 4.89 / 6-7

Jason Boltus, Hartwick, 6-2¾, 225, 4.83 / 6-7

Brian Johnson, Utah, 6-1, 211, –, 4.87 / 6-7

David Johnson, Tulsa, 6-1, 219, –, 4.92 / 6-7

Others of note: Mike Teel, Rutgers, 6-3, 225; Drew Willy, Buffalo, 6-3⅛, 215; Chris Pizzotti, Harvard, 6-6, 225; Willie Tuitama, Arizona, 6-3, 211; Joe Ganz, Nebraska, 6-1, 200; Chase Daniel, Missouri, 6-1, 218; Chase Holbrook, New Mexico State, 6-4⅛, 242; James Davis, Clemson, 5-11, 218. 

 

 4) Rising . . . 

Sanchez, Freeman, McGee.

  

5) Falling . . .

 Davis, Carpenter, Harrell.

 

 6) Colts connections . . .

The Colts reportedly have worked out Sanchez, but before reading too much into that, remember that teams work out a player for a variety of reasons. One of those reasons is often to know about a player in case a team around them in the draft might be thinking of selecting the player, or to know more about a player in the event a player falls to the team and is perceived as too good to pass up at a spot. Colts President Bill Polian is all about due diligence, and while it’s not out of the question that the Colts could draft a quarterback, a March workout is not necessarily an indication that the team will select at that position.

Here’s a link to the forum over at Colts.com with what I think is the best list of players linked to the Colts in the 2009 NFL Draft.

  

7) On Examiner . . .

* John Oehser’s 2009 NFL Draft Series: The Quarterbacks on Examiner.com. 

  

8) IFR’s Analysis . . .

 There seems little doubt that Stafford will be the first quarterback selected, with the question being: will he go No. 1 overall to the Detroit Lions? The Colts reportedly have worked out Sanchez, but it’s risky to read too much into a predraft workout. The Colts haven’t selected a quarterback since Jim Sorgi in the sixth round in 2004, and they have taken only four since selecting Jeff George No. 1 overall in the 1990 NFL Draft. They like Sorgi as Manning’s backup and rarely have carried a third quarterback since 2002. If they select a player such as Sanchez early, it will be read as grooming Manning’s replacement and it would be surprising if the Colts go that route. It’s a recipe for upheaval and the Colts have typically steered away from such moves.

First-round likelihood: One percent (never say never).

Second-round likelihood: One percent.

Second-day likelihood: Five percent.

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2009 Indianapolis Colts NFL Draft: The Top 25 picks of the Polian Era, No. 17

On April 9, 2009, In General, By John Oehser

The draft series covering the Indianapolis Colts’  Top 25 selections of the Bill Polian era continues today with the No. 17 selection . . .

No. 17 . . .

Rob Morris, LB, Brigham Young / First Round, 2000 / No. 28 overall

Because we recently covered the selection of Morris in Indianapolis Colts 2009 NFL Draft: Studying the Past, 2000 I’ll cheat a bit and re-run the text from that post:

With the Colts coming off their 13-3 turnaround season of 1999, they were in much the same position entering the 2000 Draft they would be in many coming years:

All around them, the analysts were predicting defense in the first round.

This time, they were right about defense and several were right that Morris — an All-American from Brigham Young — would be the selection.

Readers of IFR already know I’m a bit biased when it comes to Morris. He was one of the all-time good guys among Colts players I covered there, and few players I’ve covered at any level “got it” quite like Morris. While confident in his ability, he knew he was fortunate to be in the NFL and after starting from 2001-2004 he handled it with professionalism and class from 2005 until late 2006 when he was moved to a backup role.

When Morris was starting, a lot of people criticized him constantly, and he took tons of blame for the Colts’ defensive problems from 2002-2004.

One of the great ironies of the past decade was that it was Morris’ insertion into the lineup late in the 2006 season that helped the Colts improve defensively in time for their run to the Super Bowl XLI title.

I remember when Morris hurt his knee early in the 2007 season thinking how sad it was — that here this guy who had been through so much and was finally getting his chance to start again was injured again. I remember thinking I hoped it wouldn’t be the end of his career, even though considering the injury problems he had throughout his career, there was a good chance it would be.

As it turned out, it was. 

It’s been interesting since starting IFR to hear how Colts fans appreciate Morris more now then they ever did when he was playing. They seemed to have picked up on his professionalism and class, and I like this. It’s funny, too, that one of the few times the analysts had a vibe for Polian’s selection with the Colts was also one of the few times early that the selection didn’t produce a franchise-, Pro Bowl-level player.

One more thing about this pick:

I’ve heard people call Morris the one first-round bust of Polian’s tenure with the Colts, and I’ll say what I’ve said often about that statement:

If Morris is the biggest “bust of a decade,” you’re drafting pretty darned well.

I can’t say much more about Morris than that except to say if anything, Morris could be higher on this list.

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Indianapolis Colts 2009 NFL Draft: Studying past first-round selections, 2004

On April 9, 2009, In General, By John Oehser

In the seventh of IFR’s analysis of the Indianapolis Colts’ NFL Drafts in the Bill Polian era, we’ll take a look today at 2004, Polian’s seventh draft with the organization.

As mentioned, the idea of the 10-part series is to get an idea how the first-round selections of Polian — now preparing for his 12th draft with the Colts — have jibed with what the draftniks were saying about the Colts before the draft. We’ve already covered 1998-2003 and 2008. Now, on to the seventh of the series . . .

 

2003

THE REAL FIRST SELECTION: Bob Sanders, safety, Iowa (No. 44 overall).

 

WHAT THE MOCKERS THOUGHT . . .

Walterfootball.com: D.J. Williams, LB, Miami.

Sports Illustrated: Williams.

CBS Sports: Randy Starks, DT, Maryland.

NFL Draft Countdown: Karlos Dansby, LB, Auburn.

Scout.com: Derrick Strait, CB, Oklahoma.

 

IFR Analysis . . . 

This is yet another year the mockers missed, but not for the reasons of the previous year or 2001. In those years, most analysts assumed the Colts would selected defense, and instead, Polian took the best player on the board — wide receiver Reggie Wayne in 2001 and tight end Dallas Clark in 2003.

This season, Polian again did the unexpected.

But this time he did it by trading down not once, but twice.

The Colts, after winning the first of five consecutive AFC South titles in 2003, held the No. 29 selection, but instead of using that selection, Polian first traded with the Falcons and then with the Steelers, finally landing 15 spots below where he began: in the middle of the second round, at No. 44.

When I think of Polian’s drafts, this is the one I think of the most, because on paper, it was a high-risk selection. Sanders entered the NFL injured, and was hurt when the Colts drafted him. Few had him in the first round, although I remember Polian saying on draft day Sanders would have been a first-round selection had he not been injured. But Polian’s system is built on due diligence and he was convinced Sanders would overcome the injury, and he was also very, very convinced Sanders would be a big-time player.

Right on both fronts.

Now, I have heard both sides of the Sanders discussion. I have heard fans’ frustrations with his many injuries and I have heard fans who love him and think him invaluable to the organization. Know this: I fall squarely on the side who thinks he’s invaluable.

I know he has been hurt, and I know he has missed a lot of games. I also know the Colts are a different team when he plays than when he doesn’t, and I’ve never seen a player have an impact on a defense the way he did in 2006. Sanders is a dynamic, impact player and if he never plays another game, I put him with the best defensive players in the Indianapolis era, and the best selections in the Indianapolis era. A second round selection? For an Associated Press Defensive Player of the Year?

We may have time in the future to debate the Sanders injury issues. The hope here is we don’t, because not only is Sanders otherworldly to watch play he’s  a good guy, a terrific interview and a player who very much wants to succeed. The issue at hand in this piece is reviewing drafts, and to me, the selection of Sanders with a second-round selection was the fourth of four consecutive remarkable franchise-building selections.

Wayne, defensive end Dwight Freeney, tight end Dallas Clark, Sanders.

Those were the first players selected by the Colts from 2001-2004. Outside of quarterback Peyton Manning, is there a player on the roster more important than any of those four? Maybe defensive end Robert Mathis and maybe cornerback Kelvin Hayden and maybe center Jeff Saturday, but you could argue those four and you might be right.

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