The interesting part about flipping back and forth between networks, both McShay and Mayock said the same thing, that they both got calls very late in the process on Grover Stewart saying to take a look at him and they both came away impressed.

CB Corn Elder goes to Panthers :cool:

Redskins take Ark TE Jeremy Sprinkle, kinda wanted him ... :cool:

Seems like Mack is a good pick at this spot and a good fit for change of pace with Gore, but this is pretty concerning in particular the fumbling (from his NFL.com profile):

And since our coaching staff either doesn't care to or doesn't know how to teach fundamentals I doubt any of this gets fixed anytime soon.

Stewart is obviously an unknown and a head scratcher, and based on his ranking (317 overall by ESPN FWIW). Ballard must have really liked him to have taken him here.

I wouldn't mind taking a look at TE Bucky Hodges with this pick or CB William Likely

Ouch, lot of drops ... if can't learn to hold on to ball he wont last :cool:

Wyoming RB Brian Hill to Falcons ... :cool:

And if they are not very high on some of the guys left in the draft, try to trade away the pick for future picks.....although i don't think that was the opinion of the front office, they seemed to think that it was one of the deepest drafts in a long time.

Very excited about the defense.

Can't trade comp picks?

Nate Hairston, CB, Temple.

Instincts/Recognition 3 Only two seasons at CB but appears to have natural FBIs. Former WR who has an understanding of splits and how receivers are trying to attack him. Quality awareness in zone coverage. Reads quarterbacks eyes well. Quick to identify route combinations and does a nice job of maintaining quality correlation with targets. Anticipation and route recognition in man coverage are still developing. Quick to read and react vs the run.


Cover Skills 2 Fluid and balance mover. Feet are rarely caught outside of fame. Good mirror skills in press man coverage. Uses hands well to reroute receivers near the line of scrimmage. Does display some tightness in ankles when forced to quickly gather breaking forward. Transitions well out of breaks. Good short-area quickness. Balance allows him to transition and recover when caught out of position. Good speed to carry receivers down field but lacks an elite extra gear to make up ground when caught in trail.


Ball Skills 3 Former WR who has quality hand-eye coordination. 4 PBU and 2 INT in two season at CB (2015-'16). 3 PBU and 2 INT in 2016.Knows when to play the ball and play man. Quality leaping ability in contested situations (VJ: 35 ½ ' ) Will be a split second late turning and locating the ball at times when his back is to the football.


Run Support 1 Hard edge setter that is active and willing in this in this area. Physical and shows active hands taking on and shedding blocks (14 bench reps). Can occasionally be a quarter count late getting off of blocks against bigger and more physical WRs. Works to keep to outside contain on the perimeter. Good body and balance as a tackler. Firm wrap upon contact to finish tackles. Also flashes the ability to deliver a heavy blow.

Colts take CB Nate Hairston :cool:

Nate Hairston | CB, Temple
Height: 6-0 Weight: 196
A former wide receiver with only one year of starting CB experience and it shows. Will need time to develop mentally and technically before he sees action.
D-

More on Hairston:

http://www.nfl.com/draft/2017/profil...ton?id=2558108

Thought I saw somewhere Patriots were taking a look at him

You can now. Changed in the last year or two.

Cheers,

Colts select LB Anthony Walker Jr. Northwestern :cool:

Little early to me ?

Guess we must have liked him? :cool:

That is a fabulous pick in the 5th round! If he is now fully healed from his injury in 2015 and can get back to that level of play we have one of the steals of the draft.

Anthony Walker, ILB, Northwestern is the final pick of the draft:

www.nfl.com/draft/2017/profiles/anthony-walker jr.?id=2558015

6 of 8 picks were defense ... :cool:

More on Anthony Walker:

Instincts/Recognition 1 Quarterback of the defense. Has the football acumen to quickly pick up a new scheme and weekly game plans. Active eyes. Quick to read keys and locate the ball against the run. Above average route recognition and good feel for crossers in underneath coverage. Reads quarterback and gets an early break on the ball. Discipline is a touch inconsistent and occasionally gets caught out of gap. Quick to sniff out play action at times. Late seeing it at other times.


Take-on Skills 3 Beats blockers to the point and make plays in the backfield. Thick lower body and flashes ability to hold ground at the point when he keeps his pads down. Slips some blocks quickly but developing hand fighter with room to improve in terms of stacking and shedding in phone booth. Pad level is inconsistent and gets washed out or gives ground when doesn't play with good leverage.


Range vs. Run 2 Instincts and reaction time amplify range. Chases with good effort. Good initial burst and closes fairly well on a straight line. Flashes ability to sift through traffic but inconsistent angles and gets caught up in the wash running under blocks that he should fight over. Lacks the extra gear to chase down most backs on a straight line. Tight hips and struggles to recover when he overruns play.


Tackling 3 Tends to wrap up and wrestle ball carriers to the ground when he's in sound position to make play. Brick wall that has good stopping power and limits production after contact but not a violent downhill striker that jars ball carriers on contact. Tight and not nearly as effective trying to make one-on-one plays in space as he is between the tackles. Rips at the ball in gang tackle situations and forced four fumbles last year.


3rd Down Capabilities 3 Gets to depth and rarely gets caught out of position in underneath zone. Flashes ability to play the ball and intercepted four passes in three seasons at Northwestern. Active hands and good strength rushing the passer off the edge and between the tackles. Stiff in space and question ability to stay with NFL backs in man coverage at the NFL level.

Who has the hot take for how the draft went? Did the Colts win?!

Somebody remove the :cool: emoji from Smitty's selections...:D

Interesting Tale of Two Drafts for Ballard.

Day One/Two was mostly contribute-now guys. Hooker/Wilson are very likely day one starters. Basham will probably be a day one contributor, or at least they'll try to hope he contributes from day one.

Banner/Stewart/Hairston/Walker all feel like project picks. Mack will probably contribute sooner rather than later, though.

I'd rather be the winner after the season has played out than called the winner now.

Love our 5th round picks.

A CB who apparently has all the skills to be an NFL CB but is limited on experience. Great CB5 or CB6 to carry on a roster to learn for a year or two before seeing if he can make the transition.

And Walker at ILB has some great coverage skills and becomes a really nice rotation piece to move onto the field on passing downs and off the field on run downs. We got some "thumpers" in Morrison and Jackson. Now we have some coverage guys in Spence an Walker. Bostic is an unknown.

Great, great picks. I love our draft.

Cheers,

What one? This one :cool::cool: ?

Another one right in draft contest, but wrong round

I'm beginning to like it too

Good job !!! :cool:

I am very happy with the draft as a whole:-
Malik Hooker, was the best player available and a major coup to get him at the 15th pick and will be a major upgrade over anything we have had since Bethea left.
Quincy Wilson in the 2nd could become our No. 1 corner in a few years if we decide not to resign Davis, and hopefully will be our best No. 2 corner in almost a decade.
Tarrell Basham, was a very productive pass rusher in college, who should readily contribute this year and could potentially lead the team in sacks, (that might just be indicative of who else we have, rather than being something amazing).
Zack Banner, is a guy who might be plugged in at right guard and become our best run blocking offensive lineman, or he might end up being cut if he can't control his weight.
Marlon Mack is a great complimentary back, something completely different to anything we have had on the roster in many a year. But he must keep hold of the ball.
Grover Stewart, is a guy that the coaching staff seem to have fallen in love with, and someone who could provide some interior pass rush on obvious passing downs.
Nate Hairston, will probably start the season as the No. 5 guy behind Davis, Wilson, Butler and Melvin but could progress quickly into the starting slot replacing Butler next year.
Anthony Walker, if he is fully recovered and back to his 2015 form he might actually be a day one starter, and will likely see cosiderable playing time on 3rd downs covering TE's as he is good in coverage.

One of the commentators on NFLN started to praise our draft when they cut to a pick.

If he's past his injuries that slowed him down in '16 Walker might not be too much of a project. Agree on Banner and highly agree on Stewart and Hairston.

I really wanted Jake Butt, just to get the jersey, not so much the player ! :cool:

Woulda seen a lot of Hooker jerseys sitting next to Butt jerseys.