Indianapolis Colts players who are poised for breakout 2024

There are five young Colts players who could have breakout seasons for the Horseshoe before 2024.

With NFL training camps only a few weeks away, I wanted to take this opportunity to spotlight five young Indianapolis Colts players that I believe are primed for breakout 2024 seasons:

Anthony Richardson, Quarterback

This is certainly the most obvious Colts contender, since the rookie quarterback had a promising start to his first pro season before being sidelined with a season-ending shoulder injury. Perhaps most impressively, Richardson scored 7 total touchdowns (3 through the air and 3 on the ground) in his first four starts before his rookie season ended prematurely, demonstrating his remarkable dual-threat potential very early on.

Richardson, in particular, demonstrated arm power, athleticism, speed, and unexpected poise and improvement as a passer—all well above his years (he was only 21 years old last year and had limited collegiate starting experience). He appeared to be far further along as a pocket passer—particularly in terms of readings and overall pocket presence—than the ‘raw project’ that some draft analysts described him as coming out of Florida.

If he can stay totally healthy, Richardson will be able to pick up where he left off, since he was a top contender for NFL Rookie of the Year until his season was cut short.

Jelani Woods, Tight end

The Colts’ 2023 third-round pick from Virginia is still being neglected, not because of his potential impact in 2024, but because he missed the entire season last year due to nagging hamstring issues.

However, he showed some early promise as a rookie in 2023, catching 25 receptions for 312 receiving yards and particularly as a red zone threat, with three touchdown receptions in 15 games (2 starts) in his first professional season.

Woods, who is 6’7″ and weighs 253 pounds, has the rare combination of sheer height and deceptive speed (*he posted a 4.61 forty time at the 2023 NFL Combine) that could make him a mismatch nightmare for opposition linebackers and secondaries next year. He also has exceptional athleticism, with a RAS of 10.0 out of a possible 10.0.

We haven’t seen him yet in Colts head coach Shane Steichen’s offense, which likes to use his tight ends’ versatility and skill sets, including inventive wrinkles in his offensive scheme (*such as tight end screens).

If nothing else, Woods should be a possible seam-stretcher at tight end and an evident big-bodied red zone danger when starting quarterback Anthony Richardson’s space becomes more constrained near the goal line.

Adonai Mitchell, Wide Receiver

I’m always cautious to list rookie wideouts as ‘breakout candidates,’ because it takes a few years for young players at the position to fully find their footing.

Having said that, Mitchell has obviously drawn attention at Colts OTAs and minicamps.

The Colts may have gotten a steal with the 52nd pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, as Mitchell may have slighted a bit due to reported poor interviewing and’maturity’ issues—it’s already been publicized that Indianapolis general manager Chris Ballard wasn’t a big fan of such anonymous league sourcing during the pre-draft evaluation process.

Mitchell, at 6’2″ and 205 pounds, has a 4.34 forty yard dash and a 39.5 inch vertical, indicating that he has the physical skills to succeed in the NFL.

He’s not a ‘all athlete’ however, as Mitchell was incredibly productive at Texas last season, with 11 touchdown receptions for the Longhorns. Perhaps his biggest talent is his ability to reverse direction at the top of his routes without losing speed, and such separation is already at the All-Pro level.

As previously stated, NFL wide receivers often have growing pains at the league position, so Mitchell’s early expectations should be moderated.

However, Mitchell should compete with incumbent Alec Pierce for starting wide receiver reps outside of Pittman Jr. during training camp and the preseason. Mitchell, as a rookie, should be able to give an immediate situational deep threat within certain receiving packages.

Julius Brents, Cornerback

The returning rookie’s professional debut was hindered by lingering ailments from last year’s training camp and regular season. Brents, on the other hand, shown some immediate sparks, which is why the Colts selected him in the early second round of the 2023 draft.

If there was an NFL cornerback factory, Brents might be one of the modern-day physical prototypes at 6’3″, 198 pounds, 34″ arms, and a 41.5 inch vertical, who I believe plays far faster on the field than he did in spandex shorts with an NFL Combine 4.53 forty time.

Brents was shoved into the Colts’ #1 cornerback job due to a depleted CB room, even as a rookie, which is an alpha dog role he should resume if fully healthy.

Brents has already demonstrated his physicality as a willing run defender who flies to the ball and makes plays. If he can improve his coverage and continue to develop, he has the potential to be a breakout player for the Colts secondary in 2024.

Dayo Odeyingbo, Defensive Line

One might easily argue that last year was ‘Hurricane Dayo’s’ breakout season, as he recorded a career-high 8.0 sacks, 38 tackles, 2 forced fumbles, and 2 fumble recoveries over 17 games (1 start).

A first-round, All-First-Team SEC star who fell out of the first round due to a torn Achilles at Vanderbilt, the Colts appear to have landed a second-round steal now that Odeyingbo is fully recovered and healthy, entering his fourth NFL season.

Odeyingbo, who stands 6’5″ and weighs 285 pounds, has Octopus-like arms (35 1/4″) and a rare combination of power and quickness, allowing him to play on both the inside and exterior d-lines with exceptional versatility. As he enters a contract year, he should be particularly driven to go after the opposition quarterback and earn money for a big multi-year contract (*and ideally with Indianapolis in the future).