APC Community Mock Draft - The Colts start off the week with the 21st pick

As the APC Community Mock Draft rolls on, let’s look back at Friday’s final decision. The Chicago Bears decided to replace Kyle Fuller with another Virginia Tech standout, Caleb Farley. This is their second year in a row using a top 64 pick on a CB after drafting Jaylon Johnson from Utah in the 2nd round last year. A combination of opting out of the 2020 season and concerning medicals dropped Farley to 20th and gave the Bears a steal. Reports say he should be available for training camp and if healthy, has everything you’d want in a CB with great size and athleticism.

The Colts hope they found their QB of the future this offseason after Phillip Rivers’ stopgap year. Indianapolis traded 2 picks to the Eagles for Carson Wentz after it became clear that Philadelphia wanted to move on. Wentz will reunite with head coach Frank Reich, who was the offensive coordinator for Wentz’s breakout year in 2017. After being sacked 50 times last year, the Colts will surely want to make protecting Wentz a priority. With Anthony Castonzo retiring, offensive tackle is at the top of their list of needs. With a few of the top talents at the position already gone, the Colts could draft Samuel Cosmi, the best tackle left at this point. However, they may opt to wait until the 2nd round and hope a tackle like Dillon Radunz is still available. If this is the case, an edge rusher is another obvious need. Jaelan Phillips is still on the board here, and as the consensus second-best edge in the draft, provides great value. Jayson Oweh also could see his name called here, as the Colts are known to love explosive athletes all over their defense. Let’s run down the top 20 before checking out the Colts’ options.

1. Jacksonville Jaguars - Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson
2. New York Jets - Zach Wilson, QB, BYU
3. San Francisco 49ers - Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State
4. Atlanta Falcons - Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida
5. Cincinnati Bengals - Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon
6. Miami Dolphins - Ja’Marr Chase, WR, LSU
7. Detroit Lions - DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama
8. Carolina Panthers - Rashawn Slater, OT, Northwestern
9. Denver Broncos - Trey Lance, QB, North Dakota State
10. Dallas Cowboys - Patrick Surtain, CB, Alabama
11. New York Giants - Micah Parsons, LB, Penn State
12. Philadelphia Eagles - Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama
13. Los Angeles Chargers - Christian Darrisaw, OT, Virginia Tech
14. Minnesota Vikings - Alijah Vera-Tucker, OL, USC
15. New England Patriots - Mac Jones, QB, Alabama
16. Arizona Cardinals - Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina
17. Las Vegas Raiders - Teven Jenkins, OT, Oklahoma State
18. Miami Dolphins - Kwity Paye, EDGE, Michigan
19. Washington Football Team - Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, LB, Notre Dame
20. Chicago Bears - Caleb Farley, CB, Virginia Tech

The Colts will look to protect their QB or get after the opponents’ with pick 21.

Jaelan Phillips, EDGE, Miami

One of the most physically imposing edge defenders in this draft class, Phillips had a very good junior year in 2020 after sitting out 2019 following his transfer from UCLA to Miami. Phillips posted eight sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss in the fall, then posted a very good workout at Miami’s Pro Day. However, Phillips’ big questions will be on the medical side, after missing most of his sophomore season to injuries, including multiple concussions. To make matters worse, Phillips missed the pre-draft medical re-checks in Indianapolis due to a positive COVID test.

Jayson Oweh, EDGE, Penn State

Of all the edge rushers in this draft, Oweh may be the most athletic. While he didn’t record a sack in 2020, Oweh finished with 6.5 tackles for loss and was voted first-team All-Big Ten. The tools are not all there yet, but Oweh only played 20 games in college and didn’t start playing football until his junior year of high school. At 6-foot-5, 257 pounds, he has the strength and speed to be a situational rusher from day 1. Oweh does not have many pass rush moves in his arsenal and will need to develop counters to what he’ll see in the league. He may be too raw to make a real, every-down impact in his first season, but teams will be salivating over the possibilities down the line.

Samuel Cosmi, OT, Texas

In the RAS database, only one offensive lineman since 1987 has ever had a better overall testing regimen than Cosmi (that being Northern Iowa’s Spencer Brown, also in the 2021 class). Cosmi started at right tackle as a freshman then at left tackle for the last two seasons, and his athleticism and quick feet give him serious first-round potential. He has some inconsistency on film, but his physical tools will certainly give teams the confidence that he can develop into a high-level starter at either tackle spot.

With the 21st pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, the Indianapolis Colts select…

We’re closing in on the end of the draft and the choices continue to get harder. The Colts will have to decide whether their offensive line can afford to wait on a replacement for Anthony Castonzo, or if they should address the issue in the first round. Be sure to vote here and on Twitter @acmepackingco and don’t forget to check back later today. At 4 PM EST today, the Colts’ main competition in the AFC South, the Titans, are on the clock at 22.