Two Colts veterans will have their roles challenged by rookies

These rookies could be players for the Indianapolis Colts in 2024.

2. Laiatu Latu will push Samson Ebukam at Defensive End

Many skill analysts believe Laiatu Latu is the top defensive player in the 2024 NFL draft. Sure, some people picked Dallas Turner, while others favored Jared Verse, who went on to play in Minnesota and Los Angeles, respectively, but when it came to selecting a rusher who could go on the field and win right now, UCLA’s pride was in a league all by himself.

The only issue? His injury history.

Even though some teams reportedly kept Latu off their draft boards due to his medical retirement for a neck injury in his Washington days, that doesn’t mean he won’t make an immediate impact for the Colts right away, beating out former San Francisco 49ers edge Samson Ebukam for a starting spot and holding it until he leaves the team one way or another in the future.

Standing 6-foot-5, 259 pounds, with a 4.64 40 and a bag of tricks a mile long, Latu is a technician when the ball is snapped, combining his tremendous size, speed, and technical competence to continually keep opposing offensive lineman guessing. Will Latu attempt a speed move? Maybe. Or what about a bull rush? That’s one of his tricks, along with a terrific counter and a swim move for good measure.

Throw him on either side of the line, playing against the pass or the run as a three-down base defensive lineman, and watch the collegiate Bruin transition from one blue uniform to another on his way to becoming the best defensive end the Colts have employed since prime Justin Houston.

#Colts GM Chris Ballard hysterically laughing in the war room after no defensive players were taken in the first 14 picks and Laiatu Latu was available for them.

“We got the best ****** rusher in the draft.”pic.twitter.com/lebMsykDOG https://t.co/awVYlhOinz

— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) April 28, 2024

1 Adonai Mitchell will push Alec Pierce for WR3

While Laiatu Latu will almost certainly see significant playing time for the Colts in 2024, and may even start Week 1 if he outperforms Ebukam and/or 2021 first-round pick Kwity Paye, he isn’t the only member of Indianapolis’ draft class who could start for the team this fall, as Alec Pierce’s spot at WR3 appears to be up for grabs heading into his third season with the team.

On paper, Pierce is a good player to have on an NFL roster; he has good size, great speed, and the potential to improve in the future, but he is not Adonai Mitchell, the star wide receiver from Texas who dazzled fans in Austin for years after starting his career at Georgia.

Mitchell, who stands 6-foot-2 and weighs 205 pounds, has a 4.34 40-yard dash, a 39.5-inch vertical jump, and a 136-inch broad jump, all of which rank in the 94th, 89th, and 98th percentiles according to Mockdraftable. He is an absolute game changer when he steps on the field, with enough speed to work on go balls and enough electricity to turn a simple screen into a touchdown against even the most savvy of defensive fronts. He scored 11 touchdowns in 2023 during his lone season at Texas, four more than both of his seasons at Georgia, and was widely projected to be selected in the first round, despite falling to pick 52 for various reasons.

Will Mitchell start for the Colts as a rookie? Yes, even if it doesn’t happen in Week 1, he will almost surely fill that role by the conclusion of the season, and he may even supplant Josh Downs and Michael Pittman Jr. as the Colts’ new receiving focal point going forward. After just four games in 2023, Anthony Richardson appears to have discovered his long-term partner in crime.

Anthony Richardson ➡️ Adonai Mitchell 🤧

(🎥 @Colts) pic.twitter.com/Dg6vBmcMuO

— PFF (@PFF) May 14, 2024