2009 Indianapolis Colts NFL Draft: The Top 25 picks of the Polian Era, No. 18

On April 8, 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. 18 selection . . .

No. 18 . . .

Marcus Washington, LB, Auburn / Second Round, 2000 / No. 59 overall

Because the Colts have drafted many linebackers in the Bill Polian era, and because almost all of those linebackers have finished their career elsewhere, it’s easy to lump them together.

But Marcus Washington is worth remembering.

Even if he worked out better for another team than he did in Indianapolis.

Washington, who incidentally was one of the real good guys I covered in my time with the team, was a second-round selection in the 2000 NFL Draft, the same draft in which the team selected Rob Morris to play middle linebacker.

Of all the linebackers Polian has selected with the Colts, Washington was among the most physically impressive. A 6-feet-3, 248-pounder who had played defensive end at Auburn University, Washington played as reserve as a rookie, then started from 2001-2003, missing just one game in four seasons.

He was a good player for the Colts and registered 18 sacks in four seasons, but once the team brought in Head Coach Tony Dungy and the Tampa 2 defense, it was no longer as much about prototype pass-rushing defensive ends as it was drafting and developing linebackers who likely wouldn’t sign long-term. Washington became a free agent following the 2003 season, then signed a big deal with the Washington Redskins.

The Redskins have paid a lot of money over the years to a lot of free agents who didn’t work out. Washington wasn’t one of them. He played five seasons with the Redskins, starting 66 games and registering 20.5 sacks. He also made the Pro Bowl in 2004. 

So, while he was one of many linebackers who didn’t remain in Indianapolis long term, that didn’t make him a bad selection, and he’s certainly worth remembering. Even if his best years were with another team.

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Indianapolis Colts QB Peyton Manning’s underrated moment, No. 3

On April 8, 2009, In General, By John Oehser

Here’s a link to the latest entry Indy Football Report Editor John Oehser’s series on Examiner counting down Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning’s Top 10 most underrated moments.

No. 10 was a 23-20 victory over Denver in 2002.

No. 9 was a 45-31 victory over Green Bay in 2004.

No. 8 was an 18-15 victory over Minnesota in 2008.

No. 7 was a 27-24 loss to Miami in 2001.

No. 6 was a 26-18 victory over Jacksonville in 2005.

No. 5 was a 31-28 victory over Minnesota in 2004.

No. 4 was a 24-7 victory over Baltimore in 2005.

No. 3 is . . ?

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Indy Football Report Mock Draft v 2.0

On April 8, 2009, In General, By John Oehser

Here’s the Indy Football Report 2009 Mock Draft v 2.0.

The astute reader will notice it’s drastically different from Mock Draft 1.0, and there’s a reason for that. In the interest of trying to see how the April 25-26 might play out, I wanted to post different scenarios in the weeks leading to the draft, then post one late that I guess we’ll call the IFR official, final 2009 Mock Draft. For what that’s worth.

One interesting thing: I did this without looking at last week’s mock, and in so doing, saw a couple of trends, for what they’re worth.

One is that Wake Forest linebacker Aaron Curry goes to the Kansas City Chiefs in both scenarios, and another is the Jets and Jaguars each take quarterback in first round in each draft.

Southern Cal linebacker Brian Cushing goes to the Houston Texans at No. 15 in each draft, and the Steelers select cornerback Alphonso Smith of Wake Forest No. 32 in each mock.

True, it’s silly to call two mock drafts in early April trends, but hey . . .

Know this, too:

I still don’t love my selection at No. 27 for the Colts. What is it? Read on.

Here’s version 2.0 . . .

1. Detroit (0-16) / Jason Smith, OT, Baylor / Let’s assume the Lions pass on QB Matthew Stafford. Instead, they start building the offensive line

2. St. Louis (2-14) / Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia / The Rams are said to be looking for tackle. If Smith’s gone, Monroe’s the best on the board

3. Kansas City (2-14) / Aaron Curry, ILB, Wake Forest / Some think this one’s a lock

4. Seattle (4-12)/ Matthew Stafford, QB Georgia / Is it time to start developing a future QB behind Matt Hasselbeck? Some think so

5. Cleveland (4-12) / Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech / Crabtree’s a huge X-Factor in the draft. If he goes this high, it changes the first round

6. Cincinnati (4-11-1) / Michael Oher, OT, Ole Miss / This is a bit high for Oher, but Andre Smith’s recent problems make him the safest OT available

7. Oakland (5-11) / Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri / With Crabtree gone, Maclin’s the best available WR

8. Jacksonville (5-11) / Mark Sanchez, QB, Southern California / I can’t get past the idea the Jaguars need a quarterback

9. Green Bay (6-10)/ Brian Orakpo, DE/LB, Texas / If the Packers are convinced he can play 4-3 end, he could go here

10. San Francisco (7-9) / Everette Brown, DE, Florida State / When good pass-rushers start falling from the board, they go quick

11. Buffalo (7-9) / B.J. Raji, NT, Boston College / I’m not sure Raji will fall this far even with his reported problems. If he does, Buffalo may not pass

12. Denver (8-8)/ Ray Maualuga, LB, Southern California / Get used to seeing Southern California LBs going off the board early

13. Washington (8-8) / Tyson Jackson, DE, Louisiana State / The run on defensive ends continues, although some may see this as high for him

14. New Orleans (8-8) / Malcolm Jenkins, CB, New Orleans / The first cover corner to go off the board. Everywhere you look it seems he’s going to the Saints

15. Houston (8-8) / Brian Cushing, LB, Southern California / Few seem to believe the second Trojans LB in the first round will get by Houston

16. San Diego (8-8) / Peria Jerry, DT, Ole Miss / You see the Chargers picking RB here a lot, but they believe in solid play up front on defense

17. New York Jets (9-7) / Josh Freeman, QB, Kansas State / I may be wrong, but I can’t get Freeman out of this spot to the Jets

18. Denver from Chicago (9-7)/ Percy Harvin, WR, Florida / After trading with Chicago, Denver uses the No. 18 pick for receiver help

19. Tampa Bay (9-7) / Andre Smith, OT, Alabama / As talented as he is, he may go higher than this, but his combine performance — or lack thereof — may hurt

20. Detroit (from Dallas) (9-7) / Robert Ayers, DE, Tennessee / Detroit needs core position players, and with no first-round QB available here, pass rusher makes sense

21. Philadelphia (9-6-1)/ Eben Britton, OT, Arizona / The Eagles never have minded not drafting “sexy” in the first round. They need an OT, although this may be a bit high

22. Minnesota (10-6)/ Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland / Few believe the Vikings won’t take receiver in the first round

23. New England (11-5) / Clay Matthews, OLB, Southern Cal / Self-made guy . . . former walk-on now a first-round selection . . . sounds like a Pats LB

24. Atlanta (11-5) / Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Oklahoma State / He may not last this long, but if he does, he likely won’t last longer

25. Miami (11-5)/ Hakeem Nicks, WR, North Carolina / I’m falling right into the trap of assuming Dolphins will take him because Bill Parcells attended his workout

26. Baltimore (11-5)/ Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois / The Ravens need a corner and if he’s here, he’s tough to pass up

27. Indianapolis (12-4) / Evander Hood, DT, Missouri / Still skeptical about Colts taking DT here, but for the sake of this mock . . .

28. Philadelphia (from Carolina) (12-4)/ Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia / Don’t know if he’ll be here at No. 28, but if he is, Eagles will take him

29. New York Giants (12-4) / Kenny Britt, WR, Rutgers / A good fit. Giants need a wide receiver. Britt won’t have to leave the area

30. Tennessee (13-3) / James Laurinitis, LB, Ohio State / People have Laurinitis going to the Colts, but he may end up in Tennessee instead

31. Arizona (9-7) / Chris Wells, RB, Ohio State / This pick could solidify a position that was unsettled at times last year

32. Pittsburgh (12-4)/ Alphonso Smith, CB, Wake Forest / Smith’s stock is on the rise and the Steelers seem to have a need at the position

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Free agency still quiet for former Indianapolis Colts WR Marvin Harrison

On April 8, 2009, In General, By John Oehser

The silence around Marvin Harrison continues.

And this time, it’s not the eight-time Pro Bowl receiver’s silence with the media that’s notable, but the lack of news and noise about his free-agent possibilities.

Harrison, released by the Colts in late February in a salary-cap move, has been a free agent for nearly seven weeks, and as Mike Chappell of the Indianapolis Star wrote in a pretty good piece on Tuesday, there have been few indications of interest on the market.

Chappell reached former Houston and Washington General Manager Charley Casserly:

I’m not surprised. When I watch him as a player and look at the package, he’s not going to get any better at this point in his career. He’s been injury-prone the last two years. He’s missed time. That has to be a consideration when you’re going to sign a guy.

He also reached former Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Cris Carter:

There is a certain pecking order in the league. Now, teams are looking at drafting players. Why should I sign a 37-year-old guy when I can get a 21-year-old guy who has a huge upside?

Carter went on . . .

You can see it and feel it. There’s no way (Harrison) believes he’s the same player (he used to be). Can he still do some really special things as a player? Of course he can. But it can be hard to accept you aren’t what you once were. And it’s really hard to accept when people don’t want you.

This, of course, has been a trend since Harrison’s February release. At first, there were some stories speculating good fits, and for a few days, there was some buzz about where he might play. Then, silence. Peter King of Sports Illustrated wrote early on that he might not play again, and in recent weeks more writers have weighed in with the same theme.

Who knows? Harrison may play again, but for now, it’s just a really loud silence.

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Hey, Oehser: Indianapolis Colts, predraft workouts and some more mail from far, far away

On April 8, 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 . . .

First of all, for Colts fans, this site is just an absolute treasure.

I am curious if you can provide some idea on what the off-season schedule is like for established Colts players.  Between OTAs, voluntary workouts and team meetings, I was wondering what the Colts expected of their players that are under contract.  I know that certain players like Reggie Wayne like to train on their own (In Reggie’s case, down in Miami), but that high-profile players such as Terrell Owens and Chad Johnson (or whatever he is calling himself these days) make headlines and are fined for not attending “voluntary” sessions. So as far as Colts-related stuff, what is the off-season schedule for players like Peyton Manning, Bob Sanders and Jeff Saturday?

Thanks again for this great site,

Doug England

Doug,

Thanks for the email, and a note to the fans enjoying the site: I’m glad to hear it. Let me know if you see things like or don’t like. As far as the voluntary offseason program, while you often see the workouts described as “voluntary” with the obligatory quotes, they really are voluntary under league rules. Therefore, players can’t be fined. Johnson is forgoing a $250,000 workout bonus in his contract and Owens has simply opted to not attend the Bills’ sessions unless they’re mandatory. That said, teams strongly encourage attendance and generally speaking, established veterans make up the vast majority of players who opt to not attend. The Colts’ policy is pretty much the norm around the league. They believe their program is generally the best way for players to prepare for the season and almost all players participate at a high level. Quarterback Peyton Manning takes pride in his rate of attendance, and although I can’t say for sure he never missed one, I know he goes out of his way to work any non-football commitments around the offseason conditioning program. Wide receiver Marvin Harrison was one of the few players who routinely didn’t participate, and Wayne is another. But it’s a really short list. Wayne is a fanatic about fitness and is an elite player, as was Harrison. The Colts or any other franchise can’t require offseason attendance, but a player wanting to make the team is wise to take full advantage of the program — or have a really good way of preparing on his own. The general gist of the offseason program is that around the Colts, players are expected to know what it takes to excel each season and for most, that means participating in the conditioning program. A guy who doesn’t know what it takes to excel isn’t going to be around past his first contract, anyway. As far as this offseason, I believe the Colts have gotten started in the offseason program, although they haven’t released any official dates. They’ll hold a mandatory minicamp in May and organized team activities. Typically, all players come in for at least a few of the OTAs, and I expect attendance to be pretty high with this being head coach Jim Caldwell’s first season.

 

Hey, Oehser . . .

Good Morning, John. Here I am again writing from South America. Allow me to tell you again that I think you have a great site and that it is really fun and interesting reading every article.

Lately, everybody talks about the DT and WR the Colts should take in the draft, and don’t get me wrong, I do think that’s by far their biggest need. However, nobody talks about the needs at the running back position. Joseph Addai had a down year, and although the offensive (line) had a lot to do with it, he just didn’t play at his best. Chad Simpson and Lance Ball showed some promise but I don’t think they are the best supporting cast you can get. Mike Hart is the guy I really like. No one seems to give him credit; he had an unfortunate injury, but he has the heart and the skills to be a very productive RB for the Colts. That being said, I really think the Colts have to take a RB, maybe not in the first rounds, but somewhere between the 4-6 rounds. If we can have a healthy Addai, a healthy Hart, and a good rookie, I think our running attack would be in pretty good shape.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this. Take Care and keep up the great work.

Juan P. Castro

Bogotá, Colombia

Juan,

I wouldn’t be surprised, either, to see the Colts go running back somewhere in the draft. However, with Dominic Rhodes still unsigned, I don’t think they’ll force it. What I mean is if a back is available at the right value, it would make a lot of sense to take one to develop. If not, they probably can squeeze at least another year from Rhodes. I also agree with you about Hart. My guess is the only reason he’s not pretty much penciled in as the backup is the anterior cruciate ligament injury he sustained last season. The Colts like him a lot and with reason: he showed in his limited time last season that the nack he showed at Michigan for being a productive player despite lacking blazing speed translates pretty well to the NFL. Because of Hart, and because they like Lance Ball and Chad Simpson, I just don’t know that the Colts see running back as a huge early need. However, if the right player slipped to No. 27 — say, Knowshon Moreno of Georgia — I could see the Colts taking him. The NFL trend has been two big-time backs, and while in the Colts’ pass-oriented offense that’s not a necessity, Colts Offensive Coordinator Tom Moore knows what to do with dynamic players. As Bill Polian said recently, you can’t have too many great football players on the roster.

 

Hey, Oehser . . .

I was wondering if you could shed some light on the pre-draft workout process. How many workouts does a team get and are there any restrictions on them? Also is there a list anywhere of the people we know the Colts have worked out this year? (All I know is QB Mark Sanchez, WR Hakeem Nicks, and RB Gartrell Johnson). I read somewhere that local prospects don’t count toward the number of kids they can interview, but what counts as local? Are Purdue and IU? How about Illinois and Ohio State? Finally, how often do the Colts select people that they have worked out? 

Love the site! Keep up the good work.

RPCMD 

RPCMP,

Good questions. Not sure I can give you as much detail as I’d like. As far as how many players a team can workout, I’m not sure there’s a limit on them. There is a limit on how many players a team can bring to its facility for a visit. That number is 30.

As far as how often the Colts draft players they work out, that’s a number I don’t have. The best I can tell you is any executive will tell you teams work out players for a number of reasons, and workouts aren’t always a measure of whether a team will draft a player. My feeling from talking to Polian over the years is the Colts don’t work out a player to show “love” to that player or indicate interest. Polian’s approach to the draft is to make the process as objective as possible and with that in mind, a personal workout or visit is almost certainly very much that: another step in the process of gathering information. I suspect the Colts eliminate players based on information received during workouts and visits as well as solidifying the status of players.

I’ll defer to the Colts.com message board for the best list I’ve seen of players who the Colts have “expressed interest in.” I hope IFR’s friends over there don’t mind providing the link to their list, because what I like about is it’s very clear just what is is — a list of meetings, interviews, workouts, etc. — and it makes it clear that a player’s inclusion on the list doesn’t necessarily mean the Colts will draft that player.

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Breaking down Indianapolis Colts 2009 NFL Draft: Evander “Ziggy” Hood

On April 7, 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 Missouri defensive tackle Evander Hood . . . 

Evander “Ziggy” Hood, a senior defensive tackle from Missouri, is perhaps behind only Ole Miss defensive tackle Peria Jerry as the most talked-about prospect associated with the Colts in mock drafts and he is heavily-discussed among fans. All of this is based on the overriding assumption that defensive tackle is among the team’s primary needs in this year’s draft.

He also is considered by some an ideal fit for the Colts’ one-gap style of play on the defensive front.

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 . . .

 

Evander “Ziggy” Hood, Missouri, DT . . .

1) The Basics . . .

College: Missouri.

Ht: 6-3. Wt: 300.

Born: February 16, 1987.

Hometown: Amarillo, Texas.

High School: Amarillo (Texas) Palo Duro.

* Missouri media guide entry.

* A story from the Columbia Missourian on the pre-Missouri Ziggy Hood.

 

2) The Statistics . . .

2008:  58 tackles, 24 solos / five sacks.

Career (four seasons): 144 tackles, 78 solos / 13 sacks.

* Hood’s statistics/ESPN

 

3) The Highlights . . .

* A Youtube Draft Preview

* A Fox Draft Preview

* Draft Guys TV on Ziggy Hood

 

4) The All-Star Games . . .

According to Frank Coyle of the Pro Sports XChange, some scouts and personnel types had concerns when offensive lines were able to limit Hood by focusing on him, but Coyle said he alleviated some of those concerns with a big week at the Senior Bowl.

* Hood at the Senior Bowl from NFLDraftScout.com.

* Hood at the Senior Bowl from CBS Sports Overview.

 

 5) The Combine . . .

After reportedly improving his stock with big-time effort during Senior Bowl week, Hood generated a bit more buzz at the Scouting Combine, where he ran a 4.97 40-yard dash.

* NFL.com NFL Scouting Combine Profile.

* Bleacher Report paragraph on Hood.

 

6) The Pro Day Reports . . .

 Hood seems to impress people when working out. His stock reportedly rose after he did 35 reps at 225 pounds in the bench press at a recent Missouri Pro Day. The Tigers had Pro Days on March 5 and March 19. The defensive players worked out March 5, according to NFL.com.  Hood stood on his 40 time from the combine, but did other drills.

* Fort Worth Star Telegram on Missouri Pro Day (note at bottom).

* NFL.com’s blog item on Hood’s Pro Day.

 

7) Recent news . . .

As of last week, the New England Patriots seem to be focusing on Hood, with the Boston Globe reporting they will bring him in for a visit. The Patriots have the No. 23 selection in the first round and No. 34 selection in Round 2.

* Boston Globe report.

 

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

* NFL Draft Scout.

* Fftoolbox.

 

9) Breaking Down the Mocks . . .

Selected by the Colts: Three of 13 mocks (Prisco, Football Expert, Nate Davis/USA Today).

Available at No. 27: Eleven of 13 mocks (All but Kirwan/NFL.com and Matt Pitzer/USA Today).

Selected in first round: Eight of 13 mocks.

Highest: No. 24, Atlanta . . . two writers/analysts (Kirwan and Pitzer).

Lowest: Out of first round . . . five writers/analysts.

From the muncher: As of March 16, six mock drafts in the Scout.com’s draft muncher were naming Hood as the Colts’ selection at No. 27. That was the second-most of any prospect.

 

10) IFR Analysis . . .

A little more than two weeks before the 2009 NFL Draft, Hood has become a favorite of many Colts fans breaking down the team’s possible selection. As is the case with Ole Miss defensive tackle Peria Jerry, a primary question is whether Colts President Bill Polian will indeed see him as the selection at No. 27 if he is available. As I’ve written before, the Colts never have selected a defensive tackle in the first-round in his 11 previous drafts, and Polian has said in the past that big-time first-round tackles are typically off the board before the bottom third of the round. One thought developed while putting together this information on Hood: I kept reading and hearing how he wasn’t overly productive as a senior. I can’t speak to the truth of that. It’s difficult to gauge for a defensive tackle, because you can’t always do it statistically, but the general feel from draft gurus was that Hood really stepped up at the Senior Bowl and has picked up steam during the offseason. What we can’t judge from all of this is how Polian judged his senior season, but if he perceives Hood as a “workout guy” who didn’t perform at a high level in college, that’s not often the sort of player Polian selects.

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2009 Indianapolis Colts NFL Draft: The Top 25 picks of the Polian Era, No. 19

On April 7, 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. 19 selection . . .

No. 19 . . .

Jake Scott, G, Idaho / Fifth Round, 2004 / No. 141 overall

A lot of the best selections of Colts President Bill Polian went largely overlooked on draft day. Scott was one, being selected in the fifth round in the 2004 NFL Draft.

But sometimes during training camp around the Colts, and even sooner, you start hearing how a rookie offensive lineman can play.

Scott was such a player.

Scott, who started four years in college, was inactive for four games in 2004, and made his first start in a 45-35 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Halloween that is still remembered among players as one of the Colts’ toughest defensive days of the past decade.

He started seven of the final 10 games that season and never missed another game in his four Colts seasons.

A lot of people questioned the wisdom last season of allowing Scott to leave as a free agent while re-signing Ryan Lilja. First of all, even though Lilja had knee issues before 2008, it was hard to know they would force him to miss the entire season. Plus, when Lilja not only can play center, when he plays and plays well, the Colts are a better running team than when he doesn’t.

But this entry is about Scott and the four years he played, he was a significant cog on the line, a player who could easily start a game at guard and slide outside to tackle, a versatility that is prized in the Colts’ scheme.

There’s a picture that hangs just outside the head coach’s office at the Colts’ complex of the Colts’ offensive line. They are seated on the sidelines during the Colts’ 15-6 victory over Baltimore in an AFC Divisional Playoff in January 2007. Ryan Diem. Lilja. Jeff Saturday. Scott. Tarik Glenn.

Scott never was the most high-profile member of that group, but he was a reliable, versatile player — exactly the kind of player the Colts seek on the offensive line.

The Colts through the years haven’t had many free-agency losses really hurt. Scott seemed like on last year, and through four years, Scott proved himself one of the Colts’ better draft selections of the past decade.

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Indianapolis Colts cornerbacks: a closer look at Kelvin Hayden

On April 7, 2009, In General, By John Oehser

With Indy Football Report getting rolling in late February, I didn’t write much about the re-signing of cornerback Kelvin Hayden on February 19.

Time to make up for that a bit.

Hayden, a second-round selection in the 2005 NFL Draft, signed a longterm deal to remain with the Colts in February, and Hayden’s progress and potential was a huge focus when Colts Head Coach Jim Caldwell talked about the team’s cornerback situation for the position-by-position story that has been running on the team’s website.

I was really curious what Caldwell would have to say about Hayden, because Hayden has been an intriguing player in his four seasons with the Colts. For two years, 2005 and 2006, he played sparingly, and when he moved into the starting lineup in 2007, he had one of those first-year-starting seasons that made you think there was star potential there.

Here’s Caldwell:

He’s 26 years old, so he’s at that prime age, obviously. He’s just kind of hitting his stride. He’s a guy who really is progressing and growing day by day. In college, he played wide receiver, so we see him just kind of continuing to get better. He’s a guy who just seems to always be in the right place at the right time. He has that knack.”

He missed six games last year with hamstring and knee injuries, but they weren’t long-term type things, and he finished the season playing at a high level.

When the Colts re-signed him in February, it made a serious statement about not only their commitment to Hayden, but their commitment to defense, and the cornerback position. In Colts President Bill Polian’s 12 seasons with the team never before have they signed a cornerback to a long-term, big-money contract.

David Macklin. Walt Harris. Nick Harper. Jeff Burris. Jason David. All have played well at times, but all have been allowed to leave.

Hayden, clearly, is different. He has shown potential, and has the ability to break on balls and make plays. My thought watching him is he’s on the cusp of a Pro Bowl-type season, and may be one of those guys who develops in the middle of his career into a better player than anyone ever thought he would be at the beginning.

And I keep thinking, too, about his age. Twenty-six. That makes him only months older than Peria Jerry, a defensive tackle from Ole Miss who many draft analysts are projecting the Colts may take at No. 27.

That makes Hayden a rare combination of youth and experience.

And it makes him one of the most intriguing players on the Colts defense entering next season.

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Indianapolis Colts 2009 NFL Draft: Studying past first-round selections, 2002

On April 7, 2009, In General, By John Oehser

In the fifth of IFR’s analysis of the Indianapolis Colts’ NFL Drafts in the Bill Polian era, we’ll take a look today at 2002, Polian’s fifth 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, 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2008. Now, on to the fifth of the series . . .

 

2002

THE REAL FIRST-ROUND SELECTION: Dwight Freeney, defensive end, Syracuse (No. 11 overall).

 

WHAT THE MOCKERS THOUGHT . . .

 

Football’s Future: Albert Haynesworth, DT, Tennessee.

Sports Illustrated: Haynesworth.

NFL Draft Countdown: Ryan Sims, DT, North Carolina.

110 Percent Football: Wendell Bryant, DT, Wisconsin.

Pro Football Weekly: Roy Williams, Texas.

  

IFR Analysis . . . 

The fascinating thing about this series has been remembering the circumstances around each selection. Seven years later, this selection seems like a no-brainer.

In 2002, it was anything but.

Mainly because no one had Dwight Freeney going No. 11.

This is the draft Colts President Bill Polian often discusses when asked about value at a pick. When he was first selected, analysts questioned whether Freeney merited the No. 11 selection, mainly because they questioned his size. Polian pointed out then and has pointed out since that in the draft, if you like a player at a slot, you usually want to take him because if you like the player, he’s worth that slot to you. If you trade down and don’t get the player you wanted, the theory goes, what’s the sense in getting “value?” It sounds simple, but after watching Polian select for nearly a decade, you get an idea that that’s the secret to his draft-day success: he keeps it simple, doesn’t out-think himself, takes good players and doesn’t worry about draft buzz and analysis.

As far as the specifics of the Freeney selection, it’s notable for many reasons. It was the first selection of the Dungy era, and marked the beginning of the team’s transition to the one-gap, Cover 2 style of defense. Interesting, too, that most analysts would have rated the entire above list higher than Freeney in ‘02. Except for Haynesworth, none has been as good as Freeney in the NFL, and Haynesworth/Freeney would be an argument.

Freeney typically was selected to go deep in first round, with many selecting him No. 20 to the Chicago Bears. No. 11 was said to be much, much too high. Freeney was too small, the critics said, and I remember being skeptical about a 6-feet-1 pass rusher at No. 11.

I stopped being skeptical during a rookie season in which Freeney showed he was a special pass rusher, and over the years, I have come to really admire Freeney. He gets consistent pressure despite constantly being double-teamed and chipped, and this past season, he made a fourth Pro Bowl a year after a serious foot injury.

A final thought on this selection:

You can spend a lot of time analyzing and breaking down why the Colts have been one of the NFL’s elite teams in the last decade. One reason is their ability hit on first-round selections, but inside of that ability in the late 1990s and early 2000s was an invaluable ability to hit on early first-round selections. The Colts three times under Polian have selected in the first 11 picks. In 1998, they selected quarterback Peyton Manning and the next season, they selected running back Edgerrin James.

Three drafts later, after the lost season of ‘01, they used the No. 11 selection to solidify the defense with a player who has been one of the NFL’s premier pass rushers for seven seasons.

That’s efficient drafting, the type that makes a franchise a long-term power.

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Hey, Oehser: Talking Indianapolis Colts, 2009 NFL Draft and right offensive tackle

On April 7, 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 .  . .)

 

The first question today is in response to a request last week to IFR readers to provide their Top Three first-round scenarios for the Colts in the 2009 NFL Draft.

 

Hey, Oehser . . .

Here are my draft scenarios:

1. Hakeem Nicks, North Carolina wide receiver. (Colts President Bill) Polian likes to take WRs early. Nicks fits well and should be around.

2. Brian Robiskie WR, Ohio State. If Nicks is off the board, I think they pass on (Rutgers wide receiver Kenny) Britt due to character concerns (no prima donnas on the colts) andmaybe come up witha draft day surprise as they go with Robiskie. Polian has shown he likes Ohio State players (wide receiver Anthony Gonzalez, defensive tackle Quinn Pitcock, wide receiver Roy Hall) and Robiskieis a very high character guy with a high IQ, and good work ethic, which sounds very Colt-like and very much like Gonzalez.

3. Alphonso Smith, CB, Wake Forest. If they’regoing to get a CB, it’s probably going to be Smith, (D.J.) Moore or (Darius) Butler, but Moore might be able to be grabbed in the 2nd so is probably too much of a reach in the 1st. Andof the other two, Smith sounds most like a colts corner (they seem to worry about height less than other factors), so he’s my darkhorse if Polian decides to get a backup for (cornerback Marlin) Jackson (as he did with Jackson for Nick Harper).

I left out the DTs because 1) I figure everyone is already talking about (Peria) Jerry and  really does seem to skip on DTs early in the draft. Besides, I REALLY like Mitch King at DT for the Colts in the 3rd round or so . . .

I looked at tackles cuz I really think they might be looking at at RT type, but I can’t find one that seemed to fit and was simultaneously worth a first-rounder…

Also, I would bank on this draft netting in Rounds 3-7: at least 1 LB, DT, OT/OG and 1 RB.

And just to throw it in, some players that I like that I think the Colts should look at in later rounds:

* Mitch King DT, Iowa. Small and fast for a DT, hard worker, high effort and intensity player who is tagged as an overachiever but has good character and instincts. Sounds a lot like (Quinn) Pitcock, who did play well before he flaked out on the Colts. . . Definitely think he’s possible in the 3rd or 4th area.

* Victor Harris, CB, Virginia Tech. Very versatile and GREAT fit for a zone. The Colts often seem to scoop up CBs who are very productive in college but thought to be a little slow for the NFL.

* Kraig Urbik, G, Wisconsin: He’s listed as a guard, but he sounds perfect for a RT to me. He’s a great zone blocking guard with some nice toughness and the same mean streak that Richardson was described to have. Plus, he’s a Big 10 player, which the Colts seem to take at a high rate. 

RPCMD.

RPCMD,

A lot of good points. As I’ve said before, few outside the organization knows what Bill Polian’s thinking before the draft, but he mentioned around the NFL Scouting Combine in February that even before the release of wide receiver Marvin Harrison, the spot was a draft need. Now, there’s nothing to prevent that from being a smokescreen — and the same could be true of his recent comments about not liking to take defensive tackles at the end of the first round. But history has shown him that you can get a quality receiver late in the first round and quality tackles there are tougher to find. I also like the Robiskie and Smith selections. As far taking a linebacker and defensive tackle at some point in the draft, I’d be shocked if that doesn’t happen. I wouldn’t as surprised if they skipped on guard, but they almost have to get a running back unless they re-sign backup Dominic Rhodes.

 

Hey, Oehser . . .

It seems to me that the Colts probably won’t be looking for a left tackle in the draft (unless they’ve given up on Tony Ugoh, which seems unlikely at this point). However, with Diem’s injuries and increasing age, it seems possible that a right tackle is a possibility. I’d be interested to hear your thoughts or opinions on this, as well as a more in-depth analysis as to who would fit (I read your OT article for Colts Examiner and have read elsewhere, but it seems like everything focuses on guys as LT and not on RT.)

RPCMD.

RPCMD,

Good to hear from you again. I agree that it’s too quick for the Colts to have given up on Ugoh, although if they take a left tackle, that’s how many people will interpret it. I’ve said this before, but while Ugoh spent a few games as a reserve early in the season, I also heard he got through that period and played better late in the season. Let’s talk about Diem: I wrote a few weeks ago on Examiner that Diem may have had his best season and some people sort of laughed at that. I heard that from more than a few people whose opinions matter far more than mine, and something else about Diem is he was the only Colts offensive lineman to start every game at one position last year. Still, he’s entering his ninth season and drafting a down-the-road replacement isn’t out of the question. You hear Andre Smith of Alabama will play right tackle in the NFL, but I can’t see him slipping to the Colts at No. 27. Eben Brittonof Arizona also played right tackle his first two years of college. I don’t see the Colts going right tackle in the first round. That’s usually a draft-and-develop position, and at the Colts, every position on the O-line is draft and develop except left tackle. It’s tough to provide much in-depth analysis much further down in the draft, because once you get past the first round, if the Colts are looking at right tackles you just don’t know where they might be looking.

Have a question for IFR Editor John Oehser? He welcomes your questions and can be reached at IFROehser@aol.com.

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