Indianapolis Colts - AFC South, 2008 Draft Selections & Prospects
Indianapolis Colts
The Draft Was
... Better than the critics might give it credit for.
Linebackers Phillip Wheeler and Marcus Howard fit the system,
and Mike Pollak and Steve Justice should boost the interior of
the O line. Mike Hart could be the steal of the second if he
turns out to be a solid backup behind Joseph Addai. No one gets
production out of mid-range prospects like Indy. Best Value Pick: Steve Justice, C Wake Forest. 6th round.
While he's purely a center, and Jeff Saturday isn't going
anywhere, Justice has the potential to become a fixture on the
line in a few years. Several teams will wish they thought harder
about taking him. Biggest Reach: Jacob Tamme, TE Kentucky. 4th round. While
he's a good receiver who fits what the Colts do, they can plug
any tweener tight end into the system and get production. Adding
more secondary help might have been more prudent. They Should've ... Gotten some defensive linemen. The
draft never really worked out where the value for the D line was
there when the Colts picked. Even so, the front line has to be
addressed somehow in the near future.
#
Pick
28
59
2nd Round
Mike Pollak, C/OG Arizona State
Able to play center or guard the big, strong anchor of the
Arizona State line is great on the move and is the type of
player who'll be plugged into a lineup and won't leave for ten
years. It's not his fault the Sun Devil line had such a lousy
year in pass protection. While he's not a brutish run blocker
and isn't going to flatten too many defenders at the pro level,
he can be a dependable cog in a finesse attack. CFN Projection: Third Round CFN
Position Rank: 1
30
93
3rd Round
Philip Wheeler, OLB Georgia Tech
A big outside playmaker who was a good all-around player for the
Yellow Jackets for the last three years, Wheeler has the look of
a defender who can do a little of everything. However, he's not
a power linebacker and can get shoved around, and he's not all
that fast and not that great in pass coverage. He started out
his career as a defensive back and he has that kind of
all-around athleticism, but he could use some more work on his
game to find the right niche in a defense. CFN Projection: Third Round CFN
Position Rank:
14
28
127
4th Round
Jacob Tamme, TE Kentucky
A pure receiver who was great in his senior season as one of
Andre Woodson's top targets, Tamme is a nice athlete with the
potential to be a good H-back. If he gets the right quarterback,
he could quickly become a go-to receiver on third downs. He's
not big and he'll never get much larger than 240 pounds; forget
about the blocking. CFN Projection: Fifth Round CFN
Position Rank:11
26
161
5th Round
Marcus Howard, OLB/DE Georgia
Originally considered poor man's Quentin Groves as an NFL
prospect, Howard is an undersized defensive end who has to make
the full-time conversion to outside linebacker. At 6-0 and 237
pounds, he's not all that small, and he shocked everyone by
tearing off a 4.45 in post-season workouts to get on the radar.
While he only did it for one year at Georgia, serving as a
backup for the first three seasons, he turned into a tremendous
pass rusher. He's a finesse player who'll have to learn to be
more than just a pass rusher, the upside is limitless. CFN Projection: Fourth Round
CFN
Position Rank: 10
30
196
6th Round
Tom Santi, TE Virginia
He's not Heath Miller, another Virginia product, but he's a good
athlete who produced for four years and had a nice senior season
despite playing in a non-passing offense. He's not afraid to go
over the middle and will keep the chains moving. Fast enough, he
will find ways to get open. While he's not a special talent,
there's no downside and he could serve as a serviceable ten-year
pro who goes to work, gets the job done, and flies under the
radar. CFN Projection: Fifth Round CFN
Position Rank: 10
35
201
6th RoundSteve Justice, C Wake Forest
Incredibly productive over the last three seasons for the
underappreciated Wake Forest line, Justice is extremely agile
and isn't afraid to get down and dirty to make a block. Tough as
nails and dependable enough to be an every-day player, there's
no concern about having problems with little injuries. The
problem is his size at 6-3 and 293 pounds with little room to
get bulkier. While he's quick, he'll struggle with the bigger
tackles. He's a pure center and likely can't be moved to guard. CFN Projection: Fourth Round CFN
Position Rank: 2
36
202
6th Round
Mike Hart, RB Michigan
Ultra-productive, never fumbles, and is as hard and tough a
runner as a 5-9, 200 pounder can be. He won't tear off any big
runs and he will never last a 16-game season if he's a featured
back, but he'll block, be a dirty-work runner who can crank out
long drives, and he has a major attitude, in a good way. You
know what you're getting, there's no upside to hope for, but
he's still good enough to be a nice reserve back. CFN Projection: Late Third Round to Early
Fourth Round CFN
Position Rank: 10
39
205
6th RoundPierre Garcon, WR Mount Union
At around 6-0 and 210 pounds with 4.4 speed, he has the
measureables to merit a long look. He's tough, plays fast, and
isn't afraid to block. While he'll need work to become an NFL
receiver, and only produced against D-III competition, he might
be worth the time and effort. However, he's at least two years
from playing on offense; he needs to make an early mark on
special teams. CFN Projection: Sixth Round CFN
Position Rank: 25
29
236
7th Round
Jamey Richard, C/OT Buffalo
A great three-year starter who dominated at the MAC level, he's
a 100% motor guy who always finishes his blocks and always looks
for someone to hit hard. He needs work on his technique and
he'll need to be broken down and built back up again by an NFL
coaching staff if he's going to be a tackle, and he's a bit too
tall and lanky at 6-5 and 294 pounds to be a prototype center.
Even so, he'll stick on a team as a backup. CFN Projection: Fifth Round CFN
Position Rank: 7