3 Draft Prospects to Keep an eye on for the Colts in Week 2

In this weekly series, we’ll look at three prospects that could be ideal fits for the Indianapolis Colts.

Ladd McConkey — Wide Receiver — Georgia

McConkey is a high-end athlete whose stock has increased dramatically in recent months. He is an excellent route runner who demonstrates the same small touches that the greatest in the game do. He’s undoubtedly the best route runner in the class, and that, combined with his athleticism, will make him a solid #1 or #2 receiver in the NFL. He also possesses twitchy feet and is a speedy player, which has become one of the most essential receiving attributes over the last decade. He also has excellent vision and can do damage with the ball in his grasp.

McConkey isn’t a large guy, and his main difficulty last season was a slew of ailments. Those injury issues will/have harmed his stock, but if healthy, he’s easily the second best receiver in the class.

In a deep receiver class, McConkey may be available in the late first or second round. It may be risky for the Colts to wait until their second-round pick, but if they trade back in the first round, they may be able to pick up several picks and choose McConkey late. With Pittman and Downs, the Colts potentially have one of the NFL’s top young receiving corps.

Sam Hartman — Quarterback — Notre Dame

Gardner Minshew has left the Colts, thus they will need to find a good long-term backup quarterback. The first thing that springs to mind about Hartman is his experience; the Colts’ concern with an inexperienced raw player is his ability to play effectively early in his career. So, while Joe Milton’s ceiling is considerably greater than Hartman’s, Hartman is likely a safer and more reliable backup option than Milton or some other players in 2024 and even 2025.

As a player, Hartman is a dual threat who can run effectively when necessary. He also throws well on the run and does an excellent job of working through his progressions. During his time at Notre Dame, he demonstrated his ability to run both a pro-style and a spread offense successfully.

His concerns are that he does not have the strongest arm and must stride into his passes to get good velocity. He also has certain mechanical and scanning flaws that need to be addressed with proper instruction. In terms of scanning, he can be very robotic at times and has a habit of staring at his targets. He also exhibits some “happy feet” in the pocket and might become frayed when under excessive pressure.

I believe Hartman will be available on day three, and if I had to estimate, more around the fifth or sixth rounds. The fact with Hartman is that he will not be a desirable pick for many teams due to his age and lack of raw talent, but he makes an excellent backup quarterback, and the fifth and sixth rounds are when clubs begin to seek for backup options.

Dadrion Taylor-Demerson — Safety — Texas Tech

We know that Chris Ballard enjoys athletic players and targets those with high RAS scores. DTD has one of the greatest RAS ratings among all safety in this class, ranking sixth following the combine. Furthermore, he is likely the best if you consider the players that will be selected in the first four rounds.

DTD excels as a centerfielder and possesses the quickness and speed required to make major plays with the ball. With four interceptions this season, he demonstrates his potential to be a ballhawk. He reacts well to the ball in the air and has flexible hips when shifting directions.

DTD will not be able to play from day one, but he may be a starter by the end of his second or third season. He now lacks the instincts to play in the box, and moving from the Big 12 to the NFL is a significant step up. He also has to gain weight, as he is currently under 200 pounds. The Colts have a solid recent track record of developing safeties, so he might be a great project for the team and worth picking in the fourth or fifth round.

With Blackmon’s future in question, the Colts will almost surely look to the draft for a safety, whether or not Blackmon returns. The Colts are currently in good shape at safety, with Cross, Thomas, and Harrison. Adding a cheap free agent should help in the short term, but the Colts appear to need a long-term solution at free safety.