With no first round pick, the Colts are looking for more Day 2 success
Day 2 has produced some key contributors for the Colts.
Indianapolis Colts outside linebacker Darius Leonard (53) celebrates after making an interception Sunday, Jan. 2, 2022, during a game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The Indianapolis Colts have been down this road before.
Chris Ballard is no stranger to being without a first-round pick. Whether trading out of the first round or using the pick to acquire DeForest Buckner and Carson Wentz, Ballard has shown an ability to make it work. He will have to come up big again as Sauce Gardner serves as the number one pick this year.
Considering what past results have been, it shouldn’t be a time to panic. Ballard has plenty of issues when it comes to the draft, but his knack for using Day 2 to fill out a roster has produced some definite gems. There are some less than stellar selections like Tarell Basham, Ben Banogu, Jelani Woods, JuJu Brents, and Adonai Mitchell that stand out, but that lack of success doesn’t always fall squarely on Ballard.
He has had some masterful draft cards turned in on Day 2 that have shaped the roster in significant ways. Current contributors like Josh Downs, Alec Pierce, Bernhard Raimann, and Matt Goncalves were all selected in the second and mainly third rounds. Let’s also drop in a major contributor in Jonathan Taylor who wins games single handedly sometimes.