SB Nation User Blog: Colts Homer

Ranking the Colts Positional Units

Colts Homer — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 18:54:59 -0000

4th of July weekend could be the dead period in the NFL. It has been forever since minicamp, and it will feel like an eternity until training camp starts (about a month!). That's why almost every blog is making little gimmicks just to put something out. I will say that I am liking what 18to88 is doing. I am a Reds fan and it is hard to find baseball blogs I enjoy, and 18to88 is the right level of fandom for me. I could care less about what the Reds' single-A team is doing or what was the ERA of the Reds 38th round pick. I just needed to say that. Now I will get onto the real story.

I was reading John Oesher's "Breaking Down the...", and I decided to rank the units of the team right now. Last year, defensive tackle would have obviously been the last one, but I don't think I can put them there now with Ed Johnson back and the drafting of Fili Moala and Terrance Taylor. This will be difficult for me to do because I am having trouble thinking of a number one and a worst unit. It seems that all of the positions are pretty even for the most part.

14. Offensive Tackle

Projected Starters: Tony Ugoh, Ryan Diem

When healthy, I think Ugoh is a fantastic left tackle, and Ryan Diem holds his own, but the lack of depth is downright disturbing right here. Seriously, would they put Charlie Johnson at right tackle if Ryan Diem was out even after his 2007 performance there? Dan Federkeil is a good tackle, but I will be scared if we see him getting significant playing time. The depth here is just awful. It is the worst unit on the team, and I hope that Polian takes an offensive tackle in round one in the 2010 draft.

13. Special Teams

Projected Starters: Adam Vinatieri (K), Pat McAfee (P), TJ Rushing (PR), Pierre Garcon (KR)

Coach R will hopefully change up this formerly awful unit, but looking at it, they still aren't great. The coverage should improve, but Vinatieri is aging and injury prone. The punter is a rookie. The punt returner is coming off of a major knee injury, and kick returning will just suck. I put Garcon in there, but it could be anyone. Not anyone good, mind you.

12. Offensive Guard

Projected Starters: Ryan Lilja, Mike Pollak

Injuries, injuries, injuries. That is the story of the offensive guards. Lilja is coming off of a bad knee injury, but I expect him to start against Jacksonville in Week 1. Pollak battled a whole mess of injuries last year and played poorly. I am a big Charlie Johnson fan now (bandwagoning it), but injuries keeps this unit at 12. If Lilja and Pollak aren't healthy, the offensive line is in big trouble.

11. Defensive Tackle

Projected Starters: Fili Moala, Ed Johnson (suspended for Week 1, Antonio Johnson starts in his place)

The depth at defensive tackle is just great now, but there is no experience. I believe Fili Moala will be a starter from Day One, but I am a huge Eric Foster fan and can see him starting. This is where I disagree with John Oesher. He has Antonio Johnson and Ed Johnson starting, but I cannot see the team starting two nose tackles. Fili Moala may be inexperienced, but he is a special talent. He is right around 300 pounds and he is already a better pass rusher than any other defensive tackle on the team. I believe that Keyunta Dawson will be the odd man out here. He is a major tweener and does not have the pure talent that Eric Foster has. Even if he did start some games last year, I don't feel like he is part of the plan for the future on the team.

10. Outside Linebacker

Projected Starters: Clint Session, Philip Wheeler

It's the inexperience of this unit that makes it so lowly ranked. Some would say that the outside linebackers are stacked. I disagree strongly. They have the potential to be great, but even with former starters Keiaho and Hagler now backups, they weren't great starters like I believe Wheeler and Session will be. Right now, Session looks like he will be the best outside linebacker since Cato June and maybe even Mike Peterson. He had his struggles last year, but he just flew into the backfield. If he didn't get the tackle, he disrupted the run enough to keep it from being a big play. The inexperience of this unit plus the lack of star starters makes this so lowly rated.

9. Middle Linebacker

Projected Starter: Gary Brackett

Could this be the last year of Brackett? It is his contract year, and I have an inkling that the team is looking for more size on defense. I still consider them to run a Tampa-2, but with the drafting of Terrance Taylor and Fili Moala along with the signing of Adam Seward, I think that size will matter to the team now. Brackett is the epitome of talented small linebackers. With Antoine Bethea being a free agent, I wouldn't be too upset if Brackett left in favor of Bethea. Even though I think Brackett may walk, he has been a major part of this team for a few years now. He should have made the Pro Bowl a couple of times now, and none of us will forget his great fumble return for a touchdown in the miracle comeback against Houston. I like Adam Seward. His size and speed is what I think the team is looking for. As I have said before, I think he will contribute this season and could be a starter down the road.

8. Running Back

Projected Starter: Joseph Addai

Don't read this wrong. This is not an indictment of this unit. It just shows how good this team is. A former Pro Bowler is the starter and a first round pick is the backup, but it is only the 8th best unit on the team. This is partially because Brown, Hart and Ball are so inexperienced and Addai had a down year, but this is a great team. I know we say it every year, but this is the most talented Colts team since 1984. I am amazed by this team all the time. I feel bad ranking them so low, but this team is too damn talented to put some of the units you will see later below running backs.

7. Tight End

Projected Starters: Dallas Clark, Gijon Robinson

Dallas Clark is a top 3 tight end in this league. Jason Witten and Tony Gonzalez are the only two better than him. The backups are a bit of a tossup, and their youth makes this only the seventh ranked unit. Tom Santi, Jacob Tamme and Gijon Robinson all only have one year of experience, and Tamme and Santi barely played last year. I am a huge Tom Santi fan, and as many of you know I believe he should be the starting H-back next year, but Robinson will most likely win the spot. Before tight end moves up on this list, I will want to see more of Robinson, Santi and Tamme.

6. Wide Receivers

Projected Starters: Reggie Wayne, Anthony Gonzalez

This may be high, but I am not only a fan of the starters, but I like the depth here. There may be a lot of inexperience, but no one can deny the talent here. Wayne is one of the top 7 receivers in the league. Very few players have been able to do what he can do. If he can add more touchdowns, he will be considered one of the best in the game. Anthony Gonzalez is a player that I think will break out big time. Pierre Garcon seems to be impressing everyone. Compared to the top 3 receivers the past two years, Garcon being a sixth round pick from a D-III school makes him stick out. I am looking forward to seeing Garcon play in preseason so I will know if he is all that they say he is. Austin Collie looks like he could be the next Brandon Stokely. It will be interesting to see how he gets on the field with Wayne, Gonzalez and Garcon. The wide receiver competition will be the most interesting to watch in the preseason without a doubt, even if Garcon appears to be the favorite. Roy Hall could suit up as a Colt for the last time this preseason if he is injured again.

5. Cornerbacks

Projected Starters: Marlin Jackson, Kelvin Hayden

If I could trust in the health of the corners, they could easily be number one. Marlin Jackson and Kelvin Hayden are my ideal Cover-2 cornerbacks. They are big, solid tacklers and are athletic. Both of them played multiple positions in college (Jackson at safety, Hayden at wide receiver), and they know what they are doing. However, Jackson is coming off of a bad knee injury, and the backups have been hurt too. Tim Jennings seems to be the favorite for nickelback, no matter how much that disappoints me. I prefer corners like rookie Jerraud Powers and returner TJ Rushing who are big, good tacklers, but may not be the fastest. Michael Coe could make an impact on special teams. I would love to see Powers or Rushing become the nickelback at some point in the season, but sadly it looks like Jennings job.

4. Center

Projected Starter: Jeff Saturday

Saturday is an all-time great center. When comparing him to other recent Hall of Fame centers, he should get in once his career is over, but I have a feeling he won't get in. Saturday is the anchor of the offensive line. Just look at how pathetic they were without him last year. Jamey Richard has a bright future in the league and will be considered a major steal, but the offensive line was dazed and confused without Saturday there. Not signing Saturday would have been the worst possible thing for the team not involving Peyton and his knees. Thankfully the team brought back both Hayden and Saturday. Steve Justice is considered the backup center, but there is not one good reason for why he should play over Jamey Richard, who has Pro Bowls in his future.

3. Quarterback

Projected Starter: Who do you think?

Honestly, I could be the backup QB and this would be a top 4 unit on the team. That's how good Peyton is. He is the best QB in the league and by the time he retires he should unanimously be considered the best quarterback in league history much like everyone says Jerry Rice is the best wide receiver ever. By 2014 (my guess on when Peyton retires), he will have broken every big record for a quarterback and hopefully will have more rings. But as long as Tom Brady doesn't murder a family, some people will consider him the greatest QB ever even if he has only had one great year and cheated his way to 3 Super Bowls. Also, Jim Sorgi is a somewhat competent backup, but I don't trust him. Curtis Painter sucks and always will sucks. I don't care if the Colts took him. I haven't seen him throw a good pass longer than 20 yards.

2. Safety

Projected Starters: Antoine Bethea, Bob Sanders

I cannot stress how close #2 and #1 are. Both of the starters have been Pro Bowlers. When healthy, Bob Sanders is in the top tier of safeties along with Ed Reed and Troy Polomalu. The 2007 Defensive Player of the Year has battled injury because he throws his small 5-8 body all over the field. Hopefully with a better run defense he won't be needed to stop the run and can actually stay healthy. Antoine Bethea is one of my favorite players when he is not trying to tackle. His tackling technique is pretty embarrassing and is a good symbol for the Colts run defense over the past few years, but in pass defense he is marvelous. The depth at safety makes it possible for Sanders to miss games because of injury while the team keeps on winning. Melvin Bullitt burst onto the scene last year and dominated when Sanders was out. The team just resigned Matt Giordano, a great special teamer and solid backup safety. Jamie Silva was a 2008 UDFA who is a strong special teamer.

1. Defensive End

Projected Starters: Dwight Freeney, Raheem Brock (Robert Mathis in passing situations)

This was tough, but it is hard to rank a unit with two Pro Bowlers anywhere else but number one. Robert Mathis and Dwight Freeney terrorize QBs like no other. It has been great to see Robert Mathis constantly get better until he reached this point. With two defensive ends that can get to the QB before he has time to think about throwing is a great asset. Raheem Brock is a good run stopper who can play DT as well. Marcus Howard has the potential to be the next Robert Mathis with his blazing speed. Curtis Johnson was a UDFA and will be entering his second year. With only five defensive ends, Johnson could see the field more often along with Howard.

So defensive end is the top position for the team. Discuss, criticize, flame, praise, do whatever you want.

UFL Orlando drafts 3 former Colts

Colts Homer — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 01:33:32 -0000

The UFL draft was held on Friday, June 19, 2009, and a few former Colts were taken (first posted by Endo). Bo Schobel, Larry Tripplett, and Mike Doss were all taken by the Orlando franchise, which still does not have a nickname. Here's some more info on these players and their Colts careers.

Mike Doss, safety

I've already said what I can say about Doss, so here is a recap on him from my last post.

Doss is not with the team anymore. Like Peterson, Washington, and Tripplett, he played four years with the team. He had his fair share of successes and failures. Doss' second, third and fourth seasons all were successful with two interceptions and at least four starts. In his final year with the Colts, he only played six games but was off to a hot start before he tore his ACL. The Colts had some sixth round pick named Antoine Bethea who Coach Dungy apparently liked, and Bethea took his starting job. After Bethea ended up being pretty damn good, Doss was no longer needed and was cut. However he was part of the Super Bowl team, so that's something.

I was always a Mike Doss fan. He wasn't great, but he was a fun player to watch. He had his problems, including a time when he shot his gun outside of a restaurant. However he was a decent player. After his injury it was clear that he was no longer needed, especially with future Pro Bowler Bethea on the team.

Doss also played for the Bengals and Vikings after his Colts career ended. The other defensive backs taken by Orlando are former Bears, Saints, and Bucs practice squad man Greg Fassitt, former Steeler Grant Mason, former Ram and Falcon Darius Vinnett and former Bengal TJ Wright.

Larry Tripplett

Like Doss, I also did a profile on Tripplett for my 2nd round picks blog. Here it is.

Tripplett's career ended up being pretty short. In what seems to be a trend, he played four years for the Colts. He was forced into the starting lineup almost immediately. He had just 21 tackles but was a nice rotation player. However, he lost his starting job in 2004 to everyone's favorite DT Josh Williams. In his final year with the team he had a nice 4 sacks and 30 tackles. However, the Colts parted ways with Tripplett because they had the greatest Colt ever Corey Simon along with Montae Reagor. Tripplett went on to have two mediocre years with the Bills before ending his career.

Tripplett never panned out. He had a good 2005 season, which was the Colts best defensive season under Polian. However, he didn't have enough success to warrant a spot on the team once his first contract was over. Tripplett ended up being like all of the other Colts defensive tackles who disappointed.

Tripplett last played for the Seahawks and also played for the Bills. He will play alongside another Colt taken by Orlando in the UFL draft.

Bo Schobel

This name didn't ring a bell at first, but after looking him up I can remember him. He wasn't as big of a contributor as Doss and Tripplett were. He only played one year for the Colts, but he got a ring from it. Schobel played for the championship Colts team, and he even got playing time in the Super Bowl. He had 29 tackles and half a sack in 14 regular season games, and he got half a sack in the Kansas City playoff game. Most people would recognize his brother Aaron Schobel, the star defensive end for the Buffalo Bills. He last played in 2007 for the Arizona Cardinals.

One thing that should be made clear is that they are not already on the teams. They will be contacted and seen if there is further interest in playing for the new franchise. All of these players attended a combine for the league, so they must have some interest in playing. Also, when training camps end, each team is assigned to a certain division group in the NFL. So if Orlando is assigned with the southern divisions, they will get first dibs on players cut from the Colts, Titans, Jags, Texans, Bucs, Saints, Panthers and Falcons (Michael Vick maybe?). If Orlando is assigned with the southern divisions, we could see more Colts on this team. So if you want to see former Colts starters like Tripplett, Doss and maybe some more former Colts, UFL Orlando will be the team. I have a keen interest in this league, and I will be paying attention to how the season goes once it gets started. Personally, I think they would be wiser to play from the weekend after the Pro Bowl to right before MLB opening day instead of from October to the end of November, but if they want a closer relationship with the NFL, they are going the smarter route.

Polian-Era Colts Draft History: Second Round Picks

Colts Homer — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 00:56:24 -0000

More photos » by Tom Strattman - AP

Fili Moala looks to become one of the all-time great Colts 2nd round picks, joining players like Bob Sanders, Kelvin Hayden, Marcus Washington and Mike Peterson. (AP Photo/Tom Strattman)

Browse more photos »

The second round has given Polian some of his best players. Like almost every other round, Polian consistently finds gems in the second round. Defense has been a priority in round 2 in the past, and it continued into this past draft. Many starters and even a Pro Bowler have been drafted in this round. His first pick was a small wide receiver out of Washington, and his most recent pick was a big defensive tackle from Southern Cal. Let's see the steals Polian got, and some he may have missed on.

1998: Jerome Pathon/WR/Washington

College: Pathon was born in South Africa and grew up in Canada. It wasn't until his college days at Washington did he live in the states. He played at Acadia University in Nova Scotia for a year before he transferred to Washington, and he had a great year with 44 receptions and 868 yards. In 1997, Pathon had one of the best years in Huskies history when he had 69 receptions and 1245 yards. This earned him first team All-American honors.

Draft: The Colts had already taken the QB of the future for the team, so they then looked for talent to surround him with. The team already had a solid receiver in Marvin Harrison, but there wasn't a great second target for Peyton to go to. Other receivers that we left on the board were Jacquez Green and Patrick Johnson.

Today: Pathon is no longer in the NFL. He played for the Colts for four years then went to New Orleans for two and ended his career with a season in Atlanta. Pathon had a great rookie year when he started 15 games and had 511 receiving yards. He only started 2 games in 1999 and played in 10 due to the rookie Terrence Wilkins. However, Pathon had a career year in 2000 with over 600 receiving yards and looked to be a rising star. However, he hurt his foot in Week 3 and never fully recovered. He was looking like he was bound for the Pro Bowl. He had an amazing 168 receiving yards in Week 2, but the injury derailed his season and his career. With Harrison, Wilkins and Reggie Wayne, Pathon was the odd man out. He had two solid years with New Orleans and one year with Atlanta where he only had one catch.

Review: This pick turned out bad because of circumstance. If it weren't for injury, Pathon was looking like a star. However, 2001 was one of the worst years in recent Colts history when it seemed like everyone was getting hurt. However, 2001 led to Jim Mora's firing and the hiring of one Tony Dungy. Pathon was picked over Pro Bowlers like Flozell Adams, Patrick Surtain and Samari Rolle.

1999: Mike Peterson/LB/Florida

College: Peterson played under coaching great Steve Spurrier at the University of Florida. He started 24 of 42 games and had great success for the Gators. He was 1st team All-SEC and had 249 tackles in those 42 games. He was one of the top linebackers in the country playing for one of the top programs in college football.

Draft: In the first round the Colts took running back Edgerrin James, so with Manning, James, Harrison and Pathon, the Colts were settled at offense. They looked for a defensive playmaker to help strengthen a poor defense.

Today: Peterson last played for the Jacksonville Jaguars and was a mediocre linebacker at the end of 2008. He was cut and later signed with the Atlanta Falcons. Peterson played four years for the Colts and was a great linebacker. He had 3 sacks in his rookie year and had 2 seasons with over 100 tackles, including 2000 when he had 158 tackles. He was not resigned after 2002 and he went to the Jags. Peterson became a notorious douchebag who even another notorious douchebag Jack Del Rio couldn't stand and had to get away from. Peterson was a loudmouth and became a locker room cancer with the Jaguars. He often spoke out against the Colts for not resigning him, showing his limited knowledge in Bill Polian's history and the way the league runs.

Review: Peterson was a great linebacker with the Colts but didn't last long. Usually Colts linebackers don't stay too long, so his departure is not a different situation from Cato June or Marcus Washington, other great Colts linebackers. Peterson was the star Colts linebacker during his four years. His status fell because of his stupid grudge against the Colts, but he may be the best Colts linebacker in the Polian era.

2000: Marcus Washington/LB/Auburn

College: Washington went to his hometown college Auburn for four years. However, he was not a linebacker at Auburn. He was actually a defensive end who got seven sacks in his senior year. Like some other old Colts defensive players, he had to adjust to a new position when he came to Indy.

Draft: In 2000 the Colts took linebacker Rob Morris in the first round. However, the defense was still getting looked at. The Colts ended up taking two linebackers in the first two rounds with Morris and Washington, making the linebacking corps Peterson-Morris-Washington. That locked up the position for the next few years.

Today: Washington, along with Cato June, Gary Brackett and Mike Peterson, is one of the great Colts linebackers. With the Colts he had 18 sacks in just four years. No other Colts linebacker has been able to get to the QB as well as Washington. Like Peterson, his Colts career lasted just four seasons and he went on to become a star linebacker for the Redskins. He made the Pro Bowl in 2004, his first season as a Redskin and had 100 tackles in 2004, a feat he never accomplished with Indy. He is now unemployed.

Review: Washington was the most prolific pass rushing linebacker in Polian era history. Philip Wheeler is supposed to be the next Washington. Wheeler will have his chance as he is the favorite for the SAM linebacker spot. It would be nice to have Washington back in 2009, but Clint Session, Tyjuan Hagler, Brackett, Adam Seward, Wheeler and Freddie Keiaho give the Colts enough strong linebackers.

2001: Idrees Bashir/S/Memphis

College: Idrees Bashir was a solid safety for the Memphis Tigers. For his first three years, he was a strong safety, but he moved to free safety for his senior year. He was one of the leading tacklers on the team for his junior and senior seasons.

Draft: In the first round, the Colts took Reggie Wayne, but the Colts decided to work on their weak secondary in the second. Bashir was a great safety at both pass defense and run defense, so he was supposed to be the strong safety of the future.

Today: Bashir plays for the Detroit Lions now, but he did enjoy four seasons with the Colts where he started every game he played. However he was battling injuries and never became as productive as the team would have liked. His rookie year was his best when he had 77 tackles and an interception. He never matched his tackle number, and that is why he plays for the Lions and not the Colts right now.

Review: Bashir never panned out, but he was fun to watch. I wish he would have been able to have any major effect on the team, but it just didn't happen. It's as simple as that.

2002: Larry Tripplett/DT/Washington

College: Like Pathon, Tripplett played for the Washington Huskies. Also like Pathon, he was a great college player. He was a third team All-American and had 11 tackles for a loss. He only played one game at nose tackle and played the rest at defensive end even at 300 pounds. He was a great special teamer with 3 blocked kicks. His pass rush was his greatest asset. He had 6.5 sacks in his senior year.

Draft: It's clear that the Colts were going after defensive line in this draft. They took Dwight Freeney in the first round and took Tripplett over offensive stars like Clinton Portis, IU's own Antwaan Randle El and Antonio Bryant.

Today: Tripplett's career ended up being pretty short. In what seems to be a trend, he played four years for the Colts. He was forced into the starting lineup almost immediately. He had just 21 tackles but was a nice rotation player. However, he lost his starting job in 2004 to everyone's favorite DT Josh Williams. In his final year with the team he had a nice 4 sacks and 30 tackles. However, the Colts parted ways with Tripplett because they had the greatest Colt ever Corey Simon along with Montae Reagor. Tripplett went on to have two mediocre years with the Bills before ending his career.

Review: Tripplett never panned out. He had a good 2005 season, which was the Colts best defensive season under Polian. However, he didn't have enough success to warrant a spot on the team once his first contract was over. Tripplett ended up being like all of the other Colts defensive tackles who disappointed.

2003: Mike Doss/S/Ohio State

College: Doss was another future Colt who just dominated in college. He was a major part on the 2002 Ohio State team who the refs decided to give the national championship to. Doss had an amazing career with 3 Sporting News All-American spots and three All-Big Ten spots. He did it all. He had 8 interceptions, 8 fumbles recovered and 6 sacks in his career. He was a two-time finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award, named after one of the greatest defensive backs in history and the greatest all-around athlete in American history.

Draft: This was the first draft I really followed. I remember how excited I was that the Colts got one of the best safeties in Big Ten history. They already took Dallas Clark in the first round, and they went secondary in the second, an area that really needed some help.

Today: Doss is not with the team anymore. Like Peterson, Washington, and Tripplett, he played four years with the team. He had his fair share of successes and failures. Doss' second, third and fourth seasons all were successful with two interceptions and at least four starts. In his final year with the Colts, he only played six games but was off to a hot start before he tore his ACL. The Colts had some sixth round pick named Antoine Bethea who Coach Dungy apparently liked, and Bethea took his starting job. After Bethea ended up being pretty damn good, Doss was no longer needed and was cut. However he was part of the Super Bowl team, so that's something.

Review: I was always a Mike Doss fan. He wasn't great, but he was a fun player to watch. He had his problems, including a time when he shot his gun outside of a restaurant. However he was a decent player. After his injury it was clear that he was no longer needed, especially with future Pro Bowler Bethea on the team.

2004: Bob Sanders/S/Iowa

College: Sanders is the second player taken out of Iowa in recent Colts history. At Iowa Sanders was a little bit of a legend for his murderous hits that separated a running back's shoulder. Sanders was held out of tackling drills because of that. Bob Sanders appeared on 3 All-Big Ten teams and was a second team All-American in his senior year.

Draft: The Colts traded down twice to take Sanders. Sanders ended up being the second safety taken in the first two rounds in the past two drafts. It represented a complete change for the defensive backs that occured once Dungy became head coach. The unit went from being one of the weaknesses to one of the strengths in just a matter of years.

Today: When healthy, Sanders is the best safety in the NFL. He is up there with Ed Reed and Troy Polomalu. However, he has only had two healthy seasons, and those were amazing. In both 2005 and 2007 he made the Pro Bowl and the All-Pro team. In 2007 he was the Defensive Player of the Year. His nagging injuries have kept him from becoming one of the best players in the league. It seems that it is every other year, so hopefully he is healthy in 2009. His style of play puts him in a position where he is always going to be put in dangerous situations. He is a hard hitting safety who also is great in pass defense. He is the leader of the defense.

Review: This could be the best pick in Polian history. Everyone loves Bob Sanders. He could easily be the most popular player on the team. I'll take every other year of Bob Sanders in a big contract over a decent safety every year for a lesser contract. The 2004 draft really sucked, but Sanders is the bright spot. Hopefully he will still be playing for a while, but his injury history seems to point to a short career, so enjoy it while it lasts.

2005: Kelvin Hayden/CB/Illinois

College: Hayden represents another Big Ten defensive back taken by the Colts in the second. It was three in a row at this point. However Hayden didn't play all of his career at Illinois. He played two years at a junior college in Joliet where he was the best wide receiver in junior college. He led Joliet Junior College to 21 straight victories and a national championship. After his two years at Joliet JC, he went to Illinois and became the team's best wide receiver. He led the team in yards and receptions in his junior year; however the team switched him to corner for his senior year. He transitioned well, leading the Big Ten in interceptions.

Draft: Hayden was the second cornerback taken in the 2005 draft by the Colts. Marlin Jackson was taken in the first. That means that four defensive backs were taken in the first two rounds over three years. All of them became starters at one point in their career, and only Mike Doss isn't a starter for the Colts anymore.

Today: Hayden is the best corner on the team, surpassing the first round pick Jackson. Hayden will always be remembered first for his interception return for a touchdown in Super Bowl XLI that clinched the win. However Hayden has just been amazing the past two years. He is the prototypical corner for the Tampa-2. He is big, a good tackler and has sure hands. Over the past 26 games of his career he has 6 interceptions and 125 tackles. He signed a long-term contract this offseason and will be a Colt for a long time.

Review: Hayden is one of the most underrated cornerbacks in the game. The Colts are so lucky that they locked him up longterm because he is only going to get better. I predict that he makes the Pro Bowl next year and has more than 3 interceptions, his number of the past 2 seasons.

2006: Tim Jennings/CB/Georgia

College: Tim Jennings is considered to be one of the best, if not the best, cornerback under longtime Bulldogs coach Mark Richt. He was a three year starter for the Dawgs and had ten interceptions, ten tackles for a loss and 170 tackles.

Draft: In the first round, the Colts took running back Joseph Addai, but the team decided to go defense next. They knew that Jason David and Nick Harper were about to go, so Jennings was supposed to replace one of them.

Today: Jennings did an alright job filling in for Marlin Jackson and Kelvin Hayden when they were down with injuries, but I am still not a fan. I don't like small cornerbacks because I do not trust them if a running back is coming their way. However, Jennings has the speed to be a decent nickelback and he has experience now. I prefer TJ Rushing, but Jennings wasn't awful last year. I'm hoping that Rushing or Jerraud Powers comes on strong and gives the Colts a bigger nickelback, but I will assume that Jennings has the job for now.

Review: Jennings hasn't impressed me, but many people seem to be a fan. I prefer cornerbacks to be bigger than 5-7, 185, but size won't matter if he can perform on the level of a Marlin Jackson. Jennings is definitely not my favorite player on the team because of his style. I like cornerbacks that I know can take down any big bruiser that comes towards them. Speed has never been a big deal for me, especially in the Cover-2 where corners are playing short zones up front.

2007: Tony Ugoh/OT/Arkansas

College: Ugoh got hurt in his freshman year, but just the fact that he was playing as a freshman offensive lineman early in the year showed how good he was. After his medical redshirt season, he became the best blocker for the crazy Wildhog the Razorbacks used. Ugoh paved ways for future NFLers Darren McFadden, Felix Jones and Peyton Hillis while having to protect these guys while they attempted to pass. Ugoh ended up being a third team All-American as a senior.

Draft: The Colts traded up for Ugoh. They had just taken Anthony Gonzalez, a replacement for Brandon Stokley, and Ugoh was taken to replace Tarik Glenn down the road.

Today: Well, the whole "down the road" thing was a lot quicker than we all would have thought. Glenn surprisingly retired right before training camp, and Ugoh became the starter at left tackle almost immediately. When healthy, Ugoh was great. It seemed like Tarik Glenn never really retired and just started having less false starts. However injuries have plagued our friend Ugoh. He has missed six games in his short two year career and struggled with injury for a few more games last year.

Review: BBS pretty much said it all. Ugoh has come under fire after being called out by Irsay, but that only shows how important to the team he is, and the Front Office would not leave an important position in the hands of someone they think is lazy. Plain and simple.

2008: Mike Pollak/OG/Arizona State

College: In 2007 the Arizona State line was just dreadful. The team had the talent, but the line was the Achilles' Heel of the team. Pollak was considered the only bright spot for the awful unit. Pollak was the starting center for the team and led the line much like Saturday leads the line today. Also like Saturday, the failures of the offensive line was not Pollak's fault. Pollak did the best he can with a bunch of untalented linemen on his sides.

Draft: The Colts traded their first round pick to the Niners for Tony Ugoh in 2007, so you could say that the Colts decided to work on the offensive line with the 2008 NFL Draft. Remember that they also drafted Steve Justice and Jamey Richard, so one day we could very well see 80% of the offensive line coming from this draft. Pollak was expected to replace Jake Scott at right guard.

Today: Pollak is the starting right guard, but he did not have the best start to a career. Pollak did not have a preseason because of injury, and he missed the playoff game against San Diego because of injury as well. When he did play, he wasn't very good. Hopefully he can work past it.

Review: I think it is hypocritical to label Pollak a bust but defend Ugoh. Neither of them are busts. Both of them have battled injury. However, Pollak had to make a position change without preseason. That is what I need to stress. I bet if he was healthy last August, he would have had a fine year. He is very talented. Polian wouldn't touch him if he wasn't. He had to learn on the fly and Mudd did all he could do. We saw what Mudd could do with a 7th round pick in Jamey Richard. I bet he can do wonders with Mike Pollak.

2009: Fili Moala/DT/SCum

College: Fili Moala played for a team that claims a make believe championship. His teammates were paid. His coach makes Bill Belichick look like Tony Dungy. I hate the University of Southern California and all it stands for. Fili Moala is the first player I really like to ever attend that wretched university.

Draft: Like in 2007, the Colts traded up for Moala. However, they only had to spare their second and third round picks, so the Colts still have their first rounder for next season. Moala was worth it.

Today: Well, it hasn't even been two months since the draft, so nothing has changed. I will say that he is looking like a starter and that's what I expect him to be come September. He is so talented. He can rush the passer and stop the run both at levels that no other defensive tackle on the team could do last year. I am psyched about him.

Review: USC sucks.

2nd round pick rankings

9. Idrees Bashir
8. Larry Tripplett
7. Tim Jennings
6. Jerome Pathon
5. Mike Doss
T3. Marcus Washington
T3. Mike Peterson
2. Kelvin Hayden
1. Bob Sanders

Post Minicamp Roster Prediction

Colts Homer — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 09:05:37 -0000

I haven't done a roster prediction in a while, and there is no better time than after minicamp. This will be tough, especially for the D-line. It is in order by depth chart as always and I'm including numbers too. There will be a lot of changes because of rookies and signings. This team won't be too similar to the team last year, but it will be much better. The defensive tackles are so deep, and there are too many corners to handle.

QB
18 Peyton Manning
12 Jim Sorgi

RB
29 Joseph Addai
31 Donald Brown
27 Lance Ball

WR
87 Reggie Wayne
11 Anthony Gonzalez
85 Pierre Garcon
17 Austin Collie
81 Roy Hall

TE
44 Dallas Clark
86 Tom Santi
47 Gijon Robinson
84 Jacob Tamme

LT
67 Tony Ugoh
74 Charlie Johnson

LG
65 Ryan Lilja
61 Jamey Richard

C
63 Jeff Saturday
53 Steve Justice

RG
78 Mike Pollak
64 Cornelius Lewis

RT
71 Ryan Diem
76 Dan Federkeil

LE
93 Dwight Freeney
92 Marcus Howard
94 Curtis Johnson

UT
95 Fili Moala
68 Eric Foster
64 Adrian Grady

NT
66 Ed Johnson
62 Terrance Taylor
99 Antonio Johnson

RE
79 Raheem Brock
98 Robert Mathis

SAM
50 Philip Wheeler
56 Tyjuan Hagler

MIKE
58 Gary Brackett
52 Adam Seward

WILL
55 Clint Session
54 Freddie Keiaho

CB
28 Marlin Jackson
26 Kelvin Hayden
34 TJ Rushing
23 Tim Jennings
49 Jerraud Powers

FS
41 Antoine Bethea
43 Matt Giordano

SS
21 Bob Sanders
33 Melvin Bullitt

K
4 Adam Vinatieri

P
1 Pat McAfee

LS
48 Justin Snow

PUP List
32 Michael Hart

Practice Squad
QB Curtis Painter
WR Sam Giguere
WR John Matthews
OL Jaimie Thomas
OL Brandon Barnes
DL Pat Kuntz
LB Mike Tauiliili
DB Brandon Foster

Polian-Era Colts Draft History: First Round Picks

Colts Homer — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 21:45:44 -0000

More photos » by Michael Conroy - AP

about 1 month ago: Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning throws during the NFL football team's minicamp in Indianapolis, Friday, June 5, 2009. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Browse more photos »

BBS' line about Mike Pollak possibly being a bust got me thinking of draft history in relation to position, round, etc. I was struggling for a while to think what to write about, and that gave me an idea. I'm going to go through all of the Colts draft picks in a certain round, analyze, and rank. I'll start with the first round, which is a round we can all be happy with. Polian has taken five Pro Bowlers and one player who should have gotten in last year. This is the most successful round for Polian, and he had some tough decisions that ended up being 100% perfect. Manning, James, Wayne and a bunch of more Colts stars.

1998: Peyton Manning/QB/Tennessee

College: Manning went to Tennessee over his father's school Ole Miss. At Tennessee, Manning was one of the top QBs in college football for his 4 years. He started as a third stringer but worked his way up because of injury. Manning was a serious Heisman contender in his sophomore, junior and senior year, but he never got the trophy. He was closest in 1997 when wide receiver/cornerback from Michigan Charles Woodson won the award. Manning won 39 of his 45 college starts, the SEC record for career wins. However, he never beat Steve Spurrier and Florida, which gave the media the stupid "He can't win in big games" crap we still hear today.

One interesting thing about his college career is that he completed his degree after 3 years but returned for his senior season. If Peyton made the choice that almost every other athlete would make, he would be playing for the Rams.

Draft: The Colts took the legacy Manning over the young star Ryan Leaf. Manning was considered the safer pick, but Leaf was said to have the higher ceiling. And that seems pretty accurate to this day. As we know, besides all of those recent Patriots games, all those regular season game, and the 2007 playoffs, he can't win in big games. And Ryan Leaf is going to jail for drugs. Yep, that's a pretty high ceiling he reached.

Today: Peyton Manning needs just one more ring to cement himself as the greatest quarterback to ever play. Period. He will have only one less ring than Tom Brady and the Patriots who knowingly cheated for their rings and one more than Brett Favre, whose records Peyton will break in a couple of years. He will have multiple championships, a record amount of MVPs and all of the major QB records.

Awards & Records
3-time NFL MVP (2003, 2004, 2008)
9-time Pro Bowler (1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008)
4-time 1st team All-Pro (2003, 2004, 2005, 2008)
3-time 2nd team All-Pro (1999, 2000, 2006)
1998 All-Rookie 1st Team
2004 Offensive POY
2005 Pro Bowl MVP
2007 Super Bowl MVP
Most seasons with 4000+ passing yards (9)
Most consecutive seasons with 25+ passing touchdowns (11, current streak)
Most games with a perfect passer rating (4)
Highest single season passer rating (121.1, 2004)
Most consecutive games with 4+ passing touchdowns (5, 2004)
Most seasons with 12+ regular season wins as a starter (7)

Review: I don't even need to look at who else was taken in this draft. It's no question that this was the right pick. He's the best first round pick in Colts history by far. Look at those records and awards. I only included the notable/interesting ones. It's amazing that he has never thrown less than 25 TDs in a season andhad five straight games with4 or more passing touchdowns. He's a legend for sure.

1999: Edgerrin James/RB/Miami (Fla.)

College: Miami was making its name as today's Running Back U, and James was one of the best in school history. Before Willis McGahee's stupendous career, James was the leading rusher in school history. However, James was overshadowed by Ricky Williams at Texas.

Draft: James was not a popular pick to say the least. Most people expected the Colts to take Ricky Williams, who went on to get suspended multiple times for marijuana a briefly retired and went the Beatles route by going to Asia and working in hollistic healing. James proved to be the better pick.

Today: After 10 years, James is unemployed but not retired. He is the leading rusher in Colts history with 9,226 yards and that record probably won't be broken any time soon. The Colts are pretty crowded at running back, but I'm sure if Brown and maybe Hart weren't there James would be back in speed blue. He should retire right now andenter the Hall of Fame in a few years, but he will sign with someone like Philly and make some money there. James is an all-time great at running back, and his first and second year were the best start for a career for any running back. Ever. If it weren't for his knee injury in 2001, he would be on his way to breaking Emmitt Smith's rushing record.

Awards & Records
1999 NFL Offensive ROY
4-time Pro Bowler (1999, 2000, 2004, 2005)
1999 1st team All-Pro
Leading active rusher (12,121 yards)
Leading rusher in Colts history (9,226 yards)
Leader in yards from scrimmage per game (109.7 per game)

Review: Even though other Pro Bowlers like Torry Holt, Champ Bailey andAntoine Winfield went after him, this was a great pick. Peyton wouldn't have been Peyton without a great ground game ran by Edgerrin James. I wish Edge the best and I wish they would have kept #32 in the closet until James retired so he could be properly immortalized.

2000: Rob Morris/LB/BYU

College: Rob Morris went to BYU, and like most students there, he went on a mission trip. That's why he was 25 in his rookie year. At BYU, Morris was a star. He was a first team All-American and semifinalist for the Butkus Award, the award given to the top linebacker in the country.

Draft: Morris was one of the top players in college football, and he came from a fairly prestigious school, but making the transition from a mid-major to the pros at his age was a main topic of interest.

Today: Morris, due to his age and injury problems, is out of the league after a strong but less than notable career. I am not going to do an Awards & Records section for him because, frankly, he didn't earn any. He was a 0-time Pro Bowler, 0-time All-Pro and didn't break any records. His 2000 and 2001 seasons with 100+ tackles were his highlight until 2006, when he was a leader on the stellar playoff defense. That's what he is most appreciated for.

Review: Morris ended up being a fan favorite but never really matched the success of 2000 and2001 until the Super Bowl run. One has to look at the next linebacker taken, Pro Bowler Keith Bulluck who would have been a great pick for the Colts. The problem is, unlike Morris, Bulluck is an idiot who was involved in the Terrible Towel fiasco last year. However, any question of the Morris pick is erased by the solid 2nd round pick of Marcus Washington, who still may be the best linebacker in the Polian-era alongside Cato June and Gary Brackett.

2001: Reggie Wayne/WR/Miami

College: Wayne played in one of the greatest wide receiver corps in college football history with Santana Moss and Andre Johnson, andhe was the standout. He holds the school record for receptions with 173 andis one of three Miami receivers with20 or more touchdown receptions. Those are extremely notable with the amazing receivers that have been to Miami. This is the fourthstraight year so far that the Colts took a college star in the first round.

Draft: Wayne was taken at 31 after a swap of picks with the Super Bowl loser New York Giants. Wayne was a very surprising pick. As is the case today, everyone expected the Colts to go defense, especially with The Triplets on offense. Wayne shocked and confused most people. Defensive back was a huge need going into the 2001 draft, so most people thought someone like Will Allen, Jamar Fletcher or Derrick Gibson, but the trade down was perfect. All of the defensive backs were drafted and that left Reggie, and it gave the Colts a third and sixth rounder.

Today: Wayne is one of the top wide receivers in the league. Only a handful have had more success than Wayne, and those guys do not have the Super Bowl ring Wayne does. Wayne has been posting yearly 1,000 yard receiving seasons since 2004 and has had two years with 10 or more touchdowns.

Awards and Records
3-time Pro Bowler (2006, 2007, 2008)
14th in active receiving yards (8129 yards)
12th in active receiving touchdowns (53)

Review: Yeah, I'd say this was a great pick. He is now the undisputed number one receiver with Marvin gone. Other Pro Bowl wide receivers taken after Wayne are Chad Ochocinco, Steve Smith and TJ Houshmandzadeh. The 2001 draft is one of the best drafts in recent history, but I wouldn't want anyone besides Wayne, not even Houshmandzadeh and Ochocinco.

2002: Dwight Freeney/DE/Syracuse

College: Freeney played for Marvin Harrison's alma mater Syracuse, and he is one of the best defensive ends in college football history. He had an amazing 17.5 sacks in his senior year, and he even finished 9th in Heisman Trophy voting in 2001.

Draft: The Colts had the unusually high pick of 11 due to the 6-10, Edge-less season. This was the first defensive lineman first round pick for the Colts since 1995 when they took defensive tackle Ellis Johnson. Freeney was another college star taken by the Colts, a trend that is being rejuvenated.

Today: Freeney is the best 4-3 pass rusher in the NFL today. His spin move is lethal and nearly unblockable. His favorite target was Jonathan Ogden, who retired presumably because of Freeney's relentless beating he reigned down on Ogden. Freeney consistently was at a point in his career for 2006 and 2007 when he was double or triple teamed every pass play and missed 7 games in 2007, but the emergence of Robert Mathis has given Freeney some room to dominate again.

Awards & Records
4-time Pro Bowler (2003, 2004, 2005, 2008)
2-time 1st team All-Pro (2004, 2005)
Lead the league in sacks in 2004
70.5 sacks, 13th active

Review: No one would take back this pick. Freeney is the most dominant 4-3 pass rusher. 3-4 pass rushing inflates sacks with the advantage of standing up, and that overshadows Freeney's amazing performance as a 4-3 pass rusher whose numbers are comparable to some of the top 3-4 pass rushers. Ed Reed, Albert Haynesworth and Lito Sheppard were other notable first round picks after Freeney.

2003: Dallas Clark/TE/Iowa

College: Our great tight end was not a tight end at his first year in college. He played special teams as a linebacker for his redshirt freshman year. It was during the offseason that the Hawkeyes staff decided to move Clark to tight end. Over the next two years, Clark became one of the top tight ends in college football. In 2002, his senior year, he had 742 yards, 2 touchdowns and won the John Mackey Award, the award named after a Colts great that is given to the top tight end in college football. He also was a first team All-American. He left Iowa with a year of eligibility left.

Draft: The Colts had Marcus Pollard, a solid tight end who was a fan favorite as a Colt, but the loss of Ken Dilger left the second tight end spot open. As we all know, Moore loves to use the 2 tight end set, but using a first rounder was a bit of a surprise. We saw a similar scenario going into the 2008 draft when Ben Utecht went to Cincy, but they didn't take a tight end until the fourth. Clark did show the current trend of Polian and the Colts favoring offense over defense in the first round.

Today: Clark is one of the best tight ends in the league and is working his way to being the best tight end in Colts history. Last season he broke John Mackey's record for most receiving yards in a season by a tight end with 848. He should have been an All-Star last season but a combination of the fan vote and the voting ending way too early cost him a trip. Clark is the second best receiver on the team and will have to be relied on more with the slot receiver being an inexperienced player.

Awards & Records
Colts record holder for season receiving yards in a season for a tight end (848 yards)
No other records or awards

Review: Great pick. Clark is a premier tight end and has become a touchdown threat, which is huge for the team. 17 receiving touchdowns over the past two years have made him a fantasy favorite as well as a top tight end. He broke his leg in his rookie year, but he has improved every year. Some Pro Bowlers taken soon after Clark are Larry Johnson, Nnamdi Asomugha, Rashean Mathis and Anquan Boldin. This has been a great draft, and the Colts got a great player.

2004: No first round pick

The Colts had the 28th pick in the 2004 pick but traded down. The Falcons took Michael Jenkins, the wide receiver out of Ohio State. The Colts then traded down again from 38 to 48. They swapped picks with the Steelers. The Steelers took the cornerback Ricardo Colclough. The Colts took some guy named Bob Sanders with the 48th pick. I don't know what he's up to now. The Colts also got Gilbert Gardner, Kendyll Pope and Jason David from those trades.

2005: Marlin Jackson/CB/Michigan

College: Jackson is one of the greatest corners in Michigan history. He was a freshman All-American, a second team All-American as a sophomore and a first team All-American as a senior. So in his three years as a corner (he was moved to safety for his junior year), he made some sort of All-American team. The most amazing fact is that for his senior year, teams only threw his way around 13 percent of the time. That shows how dominant he was.

Draft: The 2005 draft was one of the weirdest in Colts history because of the focus on defense. 4 of the first 5 picks were of defensive players. The first offensive skill position player taken was Anthony Davis in the seventh. Coincidently, this was not a good draft with only 4 of the players are still on the team. However, Jackson was considered a good pick at the time.

Today: Jackson, when healthy, is part of the best secondary in football. The 1st and 2nd round picks Jackson and Kelvin Hayden are perfect for the Cover-2 where their size and decent speed are just what the team needs. Jackson is my ideal cornerback. He may not get a lot of interceptions (3 regular season picks in 4 years), but in 2007 and 2008 he had a combined 169 tackles, and in just 7 games he had 47 tackles last year. That shows how good of a tackler he is, something his replacement Tim Jennings was not.

Awards & Records
"Brady sets up, sets up, throws across the middle.... INTERCEPTION!!! MARLIN JACKSON!! MARLIN'S GOT IT!! WE'RE GOING TO THE SUPER BOWL!"

Review
Even though he doesn't get a lot of interceptions, I am a big fan of Marlin Jackson. His size and tackling makes him a great player to have on the outside, especially when the run defense is the weakness of the team. Marlin is probably gone after this season, but his interception in the AFC Championship Game is one of the all-time greatest Colts moments.

2006: Joseph Addai/RB/LSU

College: Addai breaks the trend of stars being taken in the first round. Addai was good, especially in his final year at LSU, but he was in a two-back system and never had over 1,000 yards. However, Addai had an amazing Combine and rose up the draft boards.

Draft: From the beginning I expected Joseph Addai to be the pick. Laurence Maroney probably would have been the pick if he was left, but thankfully the Patriots took Maroney and he ended up being a major bust. Addai was taken at 29th in the running back-loaded draft where he was the 4th running back taken (Reggie Bush, Laurence Maroney and DeAngelo Williams were taken before Addai).

Today: Addai is a fan favorite completely loved by all. Kind of. There are the few that want his head on a platter and are planning on running him out of town. Those people favored Dom Rhodes over Addai last year even though Rhodes had the same yards per carry average. Addai has made a Pro Bowl and has had 2 1,000 yard seasons. He has been very injury-prone and that is one of the reasons why he didn't have 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns last season, which he is definitely capable of. However, in Colts land you have one bad injury year and you are a pathetic excuse for a running back. If only we had ran that Bob Sanders guy out of town with his injuries...

Awards & Records
NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month (November 2006)
1 time Pro Bowl selection (2007)
Only player in NFL history to have 1,000+ rushing yards without starting a single game
Most Irrationally Hated Player in History

Review: I think Addai is still a great running back. It will be interesting to see how his knee responds to surgery and if it will return him to 2006 form. I expect him and Donald Brown to make up one of the best combos in football. The 2006 Rhodes-Addai one was so great, and an experienced Addai and a talented Brown should be even better.

2007: Anthony Gonzalez/WR/Ohio State

College: Gonzalez played with other future NFLers in Santonio Holmes, Ted Ginn Jr., Brian Robiskie, Brian Hartline, and our own Roy Hall. Gonzalez was a great player in 2006, the first year the Buckeyes decided to ruin the national championship game. He was a great combination of a deep threat and a possession receiver. He was often overshadowed by Ted Ginn, but I remember him clearly. He was fantastic and did not get the recognition for his work.

Draft: The Colts were coming off of an amazing Super Bowl run, but none of us forgot the pathetic run defense during the season. Although Brandon Stokley was leaving, I was expecting a defensive player like Paul Pozluzsny. However, the Colts took Anthony Gonzalez in the first, continuing the now unignorable trend.

Today: Anthony Gonzalez is now the number two receiver. The Colts and Marvin Harrison sadly parted ways and now Gonzalez has to replace the future Hall of Famer. Gonzalez has had two great years, where in just 11 starts he has 1240 receiving yards and 7 touchdowns. Gonzalez will get more looks this year now that Marvin is gone, and Peyton and he have a great connection.

Awards & Records
No notable achievements...yet

Review: I am a big fan of Gonzalez. His yards per catch average of 13.2. He is a good possession receiver who can go deep. He is tough and has good size. I don't think Gonzalez will ever be a consistent Pro Bowler, but I think he could have multiple years of 1,000 receiving yards and will be a main part of a future Super Bowl Colts team.

2008: No first round pick

The Colts traded their first round pick in 2008 to the 49ers for the 42nd pick in the 2007 draft, which with the Colts took Tony Ugoh.

2009: Donald Brown/RB/UConn

College: Brown's 2008 season is one of the best and most underrated in college football history. Brown had 2,083 rushing yards, only one of 14 players to have more than 2,000 yards in a season. His bowl performance against Buffalo was unbelievable. He had 208 yards in the first half and completely carried the team while finishing with 261 rushing yards. It was right after the game that he decided to skip his last year of eligibility.

Draft: I remember it like it was yesterday. The anticipation was crazy for me. I was all prepared for Peria Jerry to be the Colts first rounder, but the Falcons took him before the Colts got on the clock. It seems that the Colts lucked out as Jerry has already gotten hurt. I know most people around Stampede Blue was expecting Ziggy Hood, the defensive tackle from Mizzou to be the pick now that Jerry is gone, but history repeated itself. The Colts took the offensive player over the defensive tackle.

Review: No one is complaining about this pick. Everyone expects great things from Brown, and he will revitalize the running game. Expect him to get around 12 carries a game and have a major impact right away.

So now with all of the first rounders being scouted and reported on, I am now ready to rank them. I am leaving off Brown and Gonzalez due to a lack of experience. I know this could cause a little controversy, but I am sure that it is accurate.

8. Rob Morris
7. Joseph Addai
6. Marlin Jackson
5. Dallas Clark
4. Dwight Freeney
3. Edgerrin James
2. Reggie Wayne
1. Peyton Manning

I expect to see Addai, Brown and Gonzalez climb this and hopefully jump Edgerrin one day.

Colts To Place Ad on Their Practice Jersey: View From a Soccer Fan

Colts Homer — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 22:27:57 -0000

This isn't really big news that will affect the team, but I was drawn to it immediately. The Colts are adding an ad on their practice jersey. Personally, I applaud this decision.

Sports teams should always look to increase ad revenue. Most other businesses don't sell merchandise and don't get thousands from people wanting to see them work. Sports are the ultimate money maker, and the biggest sports league in the world based on attendance can take the most advantage because of that. However, the blank jersey fronts are like blank billboards. I know a lot of people don't like that concept, but a good design can make it a non-factor and it can mix in great with the jersey. Companies pay millions a year for their name on a stadium, but not even having a giant Lucas Oil sign on the outside of the Lube is as appealing as a logo on a jersey.

Having an ad on a jersey makes not only the players walk around with your company's logo, but everyone who owns one as well. Everyone who buys a Chelsea jersey gives Samsung, their main jersey sponsor, more advertising without it becoming overbearing. For anyone who has walked through Lucas Oil Stadium knows a little about overbearing advertising.

Here is a look at some soccer jerseys with their sponsorship on them.

via blogs.nypost.com

Cristiano Ronaldo & Manchester United

via www.soccerfiesta.net

Shunsuke Nakamura & Celtic FC

via www.soundersfc.com

Fredy Montero and Seattle Sounders FC, my favorite team

Now, I don't see anything wrong with that. The XBox 360 Live logo doesn't stand out. Same thing with Carling and AIG logo. I and every other soccer fan is perfectly fine with the logos on the jersey. I'm also sure front offices would be as well. Look at some of the contracts signed for these sponsorships.

Manchester United: 91.1 million US$ for 4 years
Chelsea: 80.6 million US$ for 5 years
Celtic FC: 2.9 million US$ per year
Los Angeles Galaxy: Between $ 4 and 5 million per year

So an MLS team, a team that plays in the fifth most popular sports league in the country, makes between 4 and 5 million dollars for a sponsorship on their shirt. How much do you think an NFL team would make? I would peg it around $20 million a year. It seems like a no-brainer for teams, especially NBA and NHL teams that are losing so much money. We keep on hearing about how the Pacers are losing so much money while they have so much room for a multimillion dollar deal on their jerseys. It bothers me less than advertising in the stadium, and it makes sense for both parties. I know a lot of you reading will think of this as an abomination, but money talks. Being blinded by the bright yellow of Sprint while walking through Lucas Oil Stadium bothers me more than wearing a number 18 jersey with HHGregg or Subway on the front. But maybe that's just me.

Poll

Ads on jerseys?

Yea

92 votes

Nay

113 votes

I Could Care Less

74 votes

279 votes | Poll has closed

Dungy Joins Sunday Night Football Pregame Team

Colts Homer — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 02:05:09 -0000

Dungy Joins Sunday Night Football Pregame Team

He is replacing Jerome Bettis. Roid Woodson also may join the team.

5 Major Sleepers for the 2009 Indianapolis Colts Season

Colts Homer — Sat, 30 May 2009 05:57:01 -0000

As you all know, I am a huge fan of the draft, and through this unhealthy obsession I get to familiarize myself with the Colts prospects. Through this obsession I have found five players on the Colts that I would consider sleepers. Don't fool yourself. This is the most biased thing I've ever written. I am a huge fan of all five of these guys, and I want to see them become contributors on the Colts. These five guys had minimal effects on the team if any, but this year I can see them doing huge things. These five guys range from players who may not even make the roster to some guys that are the future at their position.

via www.colts.com

Lance Ball

Lance Ball could very well not make the roster, but he could also make a huge contribution as a sub. Donald Brown and Joseph Addai and maybe even Mike Hart are getting all the attention at running back, but Lance Ball could be a great change-of-pace back in this league. Sure, we have only seen him for one game, but we all know what he can do. His body is made for short distance running. He is short and extremely strong. Mike Hart and him both could be the goal line backs. If the Colts carry four running backs, Ball will beat out Simpson and work his way into a rotation. Even if he starts the season on the practice squad, he could still make the roster due to injuries or other reasons. No matter what happens, I think Lance Ball could be a sleeper that makes a nice contribution to the team. That doesn't mean he will have 10 touchdowns or 800 yards or that ESPN and any other media notices him, but we Colts fans will recognize his success. I think Lance Ball is a talented player with a bright future in this league.

via photos.indystar.com

Marcus Howard

Everyone knows Marcus Howard. He's the guy that sacked Colt Brennan so many times Brennan lost his soul. He's the guy that everyone at Stampede Blue fawned over prior to the 2008 NFL Draft and were all shocked and rejoicing when he fell to the Colts in the fifth. He's the guy who has wide receiver speed in a defensive end's body. I know him as the next Robert Mathis. Ball may not make the roster and is my riskiest pick in my opinion, but I am sure Marcus Howard will make an impact. Howard played great in the Benchwarmer Bowl, but it's not because he was going up against reserve offensive linemen. Howard will be a great player this year and over the next ten years. He is so explosive coming off of the line. He is like Robert Mathis is every way. Expect him to come in for Freeney or Mathis to give them a breather and for him to get to the QB when he is in. If Howard gets a handful of sacks, it isn't because the line was concentrating on the other great pass rusher on the other side of the line. It isn't because the defensive tackles are good. It's because Howard is an animal.

TJ Rushing

As I said in my nickelback post, TJ Rushing is my favorite type of player. I think we have all underappreciated his returning ability, and seeing the crap Pierre Garcon and Chad Simpson put out there only makes me like him more. Unlike most of our defensive backs, he knows how to tackle. He wraps up and doesn't miss tackles. He is a decent coverage guy as well. He is coming off of a bad knee injury, but I still think he is better than the other corners going for the nickelback job. He may not win it, but he should raise eyebrows in preseason. He is the most physical backup corner on the team, and that will earn him playing time. My prediction: he is the nickelback by season's end and is five times better than Keiwan Ratliff was last season, another corner I was fond of.

Tom Santi

I wanted a receiver, but I couldn't pick Garcon or Collie, since I don't consider Garcon a sleeper and Collie won't see a lot of playing time on offense this year, so I took a tight end that I think will be a great player. Tom Santi is the best option for H-back/2nd tight end. He was drafted as a blocking tight end. Jacob Tamme was the receiving tight end in the 2008 class. However, Santi is a great receiver. He's following in the footsteps of Heath Miller, another standout Virginia tight end. I think Santi has the potential to be almost as good as Miller is. It's a lofty status, but he has the talent. He's a big tight end who can block or catch. He's a bigger Utecht who doesn't fumble as much. He's the man who started the miracle comeback against Houston with his fourth down touchdown catch. He was going to be the starting H-back before he got hurt. I think he reclaims his starting spot and puts up modest numbers. He could be a great redzone target with his 6-5, 250 pound frame. I could see him being a fantasy sleeper because of touchdowns. I would keep an eye on him. He'll be surprising a lot of people.

via www.casewrestling.org

Adam Seward

Seward made the smallest contribution to the team last year. He was playing for the Panthers. He's the rare Colts free agent signing. Polian wouldn't sign someone unless he thought he would contribute. Seward may be a backup, but with the injury problems the linebackers have suffered over the past couple of years he could get an opportunity. He started two games in 2006 but hasn't contributed much since then. Seward is the type of linebacker that Coyer will like. He's the biggest linebacker on the team (6-3, 250), and he's got good speed. Don't write him off for a starting job either. Wheeler, Keiaho and Seward will all compete for that SAM spot, and Seward has the size to be a good run stopper. I think Seward will have significant time on special teams and defense and will make a noticable difference with his rare size for a Cover-2 linebacker.

Depth Chart Battle: Nickelback

Colts Homer — Mon, 18 May 2009 03:10:45 -0000

This will be a heated battle, mostly because of how many people are competing for it. I assume that Marlin Jackson and Kelvin Hayden will be the starting cornerbacks, but there are many cornerbacks behind them competing for a spot that all of them could easily win. Tim Jennings, TJ Rushing, Michael Coe, Dante Hughes and third round pick Jerraud Powers will all fight for that one job. Not all of them will make the roster, so this battle isn't only for nickelback, it's for a roster spot. I have my concerns for each of these guys, but I also think each of them could be superb. The 2008 Colts had one of the best secondaries in recent history, and all of these guys being healthy will only make it better.

Tim Jennings

Stats
2008 preseason: 18 tackles, 2 pass defended
2008 season: 78 tackles, 2 interceptions, 8 passes defended, 2 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries
2008 postseason: 7 tackles, 2 passes defended

Scouting Report

FOX Sports

Positives: Has a shorter than ideal frame, but shows very good muscle tone, good bubble and thick thighs and calves...Plays with good field awareness, showing a very good feel for anticipating routes, whether playing in the zone or man coverage...Shows very loose hips to turn out of his backpedal smoothly and close on the ball...Has good hand usage to maintain relationship with receivers through their route progression...Shows the range, burst and second gear to make plays on the perimeter...Has natural hands for the interception and times his leaps well to compete for jump balls...Will extend and catch away from the body's frame...Has the balance and pad level to gain leverage and uses his hands effectively to keep blockers from attacking his legs when working near trash...Has good knee bend and arm extension to stay low in his pads, wrap and secure as a tackler... Hard worker in the weight room and a good mentor for the younger players...Vocal leader who shows consistent effort in practices and games.

Negatives: Has a small frame with no more room for additional growth...Shows good aggression vs. the run, but is best working along the perimeter, as he does not have the bulk to shed and slip past blocks working through trash...Has been a good program performer the last two years, but does have a 2003 off-field issue that could be a concern...Shows good field instincts, but his low early Wonderlic score (9/28) indicates he could struggle some with a complicated defensive scheme...Times his leaps well, but a lack of height causes problems competing with the taller receivers for the jump ball on deep routes (also limited by a 29 3/4-inch arm length)...Has the speed to recover, but will sometimes get so confident in his closing burst that he will lose relationship with receivers (needs to maintain position tighter at times).

My Take

I am not a big fan of the way Jennings plays, mostly because of his size. However, he did progress nicely against the run as the season went on. The main problem was that he was caught out of position a few times. Of course, he ended up in bad matchups. I think Jennings showed improvement, but his ceiling is low compared to Rushing and Hughes. He started 12 games last year, but I don't know if I would want him in such an important role next year, especially with Hughes, Coe and Rushing healthy.

TJ Rushing

Stats
2008 preseason: 6 tackles, 1 pass defended
2008 season: Placed on IR before season

My Take

If there was a TJ Rushing fan club, I would be its president. I am a huge supporter of Rushing. To me, he seems like the cornerback that the Colts need right now. Coming off of injury or not, I like the way he plays. The Raiders game in 2007 is what I like to look at when I evaluate Rushing. Even without the punt return for a touchdown, he played a physical game and actually got the ball carrier down on first contact (!). The secondary needs someone like Rushing in a situational role.

Michael Coe

Stats
2008: IR
2007 regular season: 10 tackles, 1 pass defended

My Take

I honestly have not seen enough of Coe to make a decision. I know that he has the chance to be a great special teamer, and he already has a blocked punt in his short career, but as a corner, I don't know. This training camp and preseason will be a great time to evaluate Coe. Right now, I can't count him out as nickel back, but I will be shocked if he wins it outright.

Dante Hughes

Stats
2008 preseason: 8 tackles, 1 pass defended
2008 season: 20 tackles, 2 passes defended, one interception
2008 postseason: No stats compiled

Scouting Report

http://arrowheadaddict.com/2007/04/27/chiefstock-cb-daymeion-hughes/

"Fast corners: Speed is everything at cornerback. Seven of the top nine cornerbacks in this draft run in the 4.3s with Chris Houston of Arkansas being the best at 4.32. The best debate is the one-two punch of Leon Hall of Michigan and Darrelle Revis of Pitt. Both run in the 4.3s. Hall is the better Cover 2 cornerback. Revis is the best pure man coverage guy. Both should go in the top 15. The bargain of the group could be Daymeion Hughes of Cal. He’s a read-and-react cornerback but doesn’t run very fast. Hughes was clocked at 4.65. Nathan Vasher of Texas ran a bad 40 coming out of school, but he ended up starting for the Bears and going to a Pro Bowl."

My Take

The cornerback formerly known as Daymeion seems to be a great fit. He is perfect for a Tampa-2 system where his speed won't be exploited. All in all, he had a good year last year on special teams with ten tackles and had a pick against the Bengals. I think he could end up with the job, although being a third round pick I'm sure his legs will get cut off riding Drop Zone at King's Island or something. I like Hughes and I would be happy to see him as the nickelback. It's improbable, but not impossible.

via media.oanow.com

Jerraud Powers

Scouting Reports

NFL.com

Positives: Short, but has a legitimate NFL build. ... At least adequate deep speed. ... Flashes an aggressive initial hand punch at the line of scrimmage. ... Good hip swivel to turn and run with receivers. ... Good agility and quickness out of his breaks to close on the ball. ... Peeks back at the quarterback and is willing to gamble. ... Can adjust his body in space to make the athletic interception. ... Rides receivers throughout the route and isn't intimidated by bigger receivers. ... Reliable open-field tackler who flashes some pop. ... Good agility to avoid blocks.

Negatives: Might be too short to handle working on the outside. ... Good open-field tackler, who flashes some pop, but his physicality hasn't translated into forced fumbles. ... Can be too aggressive. ... Has a tendency to bite on the fake and lacks the elite burst to recover when beaten initially. ... Fought a nagging hamstring pull as a junior.

My Take

At first I didn't like the Powers pick. I wanted Duke Robinson or Jamon Meredith, but after I while I grew to like Powers. He is a good tackler and plays like Bob Sanders where he sacrifices his body to make the play. He seems to have it all. My gut says that he will break the 3rd round pick curse if Hughes and Wheeler don't do it first. I think he will play his rookie year as a special teamer, but he could be the nickelback or even starting cornerback of the future.

Overview

Whoever wins this competition will have to be really good. Whether it is a player that I'm not fond of like Tim Jennings or a player that I like a lot like Rushing I know it will be the right choice. As long as Rushing and Coe are healthy, this will be the best competition because there will be no worries about a lack of talent. Personally, I want to see Rushing or Hughes win it, but Jennings may retain his spot. I just don't think Jennings is the type of corner the Colts need. At first I thought he could be a good tackler, but he is just too small to make open field tackles, something I want all of the corners to be able to do.

Odds on Being Nickelback

Jennings: 49%
Rushing: 20%
Coe: 10%
Hughes: 15%
Powers: 6%

Odds on Making Roster

Jennings: 90%
Rushing: 60%
Coe: 50%
Hughes: 60%
Powers: 100%

Depth Chart Battle: H-Back

Colts Homer — Thu, 14 May 2009 23:45:36 -0000

I think we need to get this place back to normal after the Kravitz fiasco. The Colts have always used a 2 tight end set since Tom Moore was hired, an era that sadly ended yesterday. It's gone from Dilger-Pollard, Pollard-Clark, Clark-Utecht and finally Clark-Robinson. However, Gijon Robinson didn't have a stellar year last year and there are two second year players ready to take his spot. The Colts have a plethora of weapons on offense, and they can't go wrong with any of these guys. The breakdown is after the jump.

via www.orlandosentinel.com

Gijon Robinson

2008 Stats
Preseason: 8 catches, 85 yards, 10.8 yards per catch
Season: 19 catches, 166 yards, 8.7 yards per catch
Postseason: 1 catch, 3 yards

My Take

Robinson wasn't as good of a blocker as he was made out to be, but he did have his moments. The worst part of his season was his missed assignment in the Chargers game that led to Peyton being sacked on third down and subsequently letting the Chargers move on. Robinson wasn't a threat with the ball in his hand, but his blocking could keep him on as starter. With the uncertainty of the line, they could use another good blocker out there to protect Peyton and make lanes for Brown and Addai. However, he is just not a threat as a receiver, and that could ultimately drop him down to a special teamer's role.

via cache.gettyimages.com

Tom Santi

Stats
Preseason: 1 catch, 22 yards
Season: 10 catches, 64 yards, 6.4 yards per catch
Postseason: Injured

My Take

Santi is my favorite out of the three. He is the best all-around H-back on the team. Even though his stats don't represent it, he was a solid receiver to go along with his blocking, which is what he was drafted for. He didn't have a preseason due to a bursa sac, an evil fluid sac in the knee created by Bill Belichick to take out Peyton Manning and other Colts [citation needed]. Even without a preseason, he started two of his six games before he hurt his shoulder and was placed on IR. He scored the first touchdown in the comeback against the Texans and had a solid year. He would be my choice for starting H-back, but that depends on his ability to come back from his injury. Hopefully the other 2008 6th round picks can have the success I think he will in 2009. Santi could be the Polian gem from 2008.

via www.colts.com

Jacob Tamme

Stats
Preseason: 10 catches, 133 yards, 13.3 yars per catch, 2 touchdowns
Season: 3 catches, 12 yards, 4 yards per catch
Postseason: Special teams only

Scouting Report

Walter Football

Strengths: A true receiving threat and can stretch the field…Might run in the high 4.5s at the Combine…Has outstanding concentration and can make the highlight reel…Has reliable hands…Possesses a lot of experience…Has the frame to put some weight on to and get stronger…Should have been thrown to more often…The best tight end in the SEC going into the 2007 season…Had seven catches for 120 yards against Tennessee last season…An elusive runner in open space.

Weaknesses: Has a thin frame and is no John Carlson…A below-average blocker…You have to wonder why he didn’t get thrown to more often…Has trouble getting off the line of scrimmage…Does not sustain blocks very well.

Thoughts: He is by far the best tight end in the SEC but he really needs to have a big year if he wants to be a first-day draft pick…Will he ever get a tight end’s body?...Needs to become a better blocker as a senior.

Player Comparison: Chris Cooley.

My Take

Tamme was supposed to be a big part of the offense last year; however, he did absolutely nothing. He was the most impressive receiver in the preseason and made Sorgi, the Pillsbury Throwboy and Quinn Gray look like strong QBs. The problem is that he ended up being behind Santi and Robinson on the depth chart. Even when Santi was put on IR Tamme still didn't play. It was shocking for a player with as much potential as him. I am going to assume that he will find his way into the offense more this year. I think Christensen will have more of a rotation at receiver and tight end because of his experience with those positions. If Tamme has a good preseason, he could take the H-back job. However, my guess is that we see him as a slot receiver-type tight end like Clark.

Chances of Being the Starting H-back

Santi-50%
Robinson-40%
Tamme-10%

Chances of Making Roster

Santi-100%
Robinson-100%
Tamme-100%

Conclusion

Yeah, I don't see any of these young talented players getting cut. In the case of Santi and Tamme, it would be a wasted draft pick, and I don't see a starter from last year being cut. I am a big Santi fan. I expected him to be a great blocker, but his receiving surprised me. I should have known he would be good coming from a tight end factory like Virginia. Robinson had a good year last year but he isn't the receiving threat the Colts need. Robinson may be a better blocker, but Santi is better overall and should be out on the field as a starter.

Poll

You do you want starting at H-back in 2009?

Gijon Robinson

79 votes

Tom Santi

135 votes

Jacob Tamme

135 votes

349 votes | Poll has closed

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Depth Chart Battle: H-Back

You do you want starting at H-back in 2009?

Gijon Robinson

Tom Santi

Jacob Tamme