For all I know, Ballard may have Smith and Edmunds almost as highly rated as Chubb, and be happy with any of them at #6.

If it is Smith, I just hope he's 100% healed and healthy. And assuming he is, then I don't think either of them will likely be there at #12 (unless there's another trade somewhere around #7-to-#11, and if there is I'd expect that might happen AFTER the Colts picked at #6).

I would think Ballard probably has Edmunds rated right behind Chubb, especially the way he's talking about LBs lately.

Not sure he’s really sliding. He’s a very athletic prospect who didn’t produce up to his potential in college and is clearly behind the likes of Smith, Edmunds, Evans, and LVE.

FWIW, Eric Edholm says the Colts love Smith. Possible there’s a Ballard-Edholm connection from Ballard’s Chicago days.

If Chubb doesn't slide to #6, I could probably be OK with either Edmunds or Smith (if medically cleared).

I'm actually in some ways more interested to see who's still available at #36, #37 and #49. I'm expecting some promising OLs, RBs, and CBs to be around then. Maybe some LBs and WRs too.

IIRC, he was the #1-rated LB prospect coming out of high school. Couple of friends of mine who are UT grads/fans insist Jefferson was "misused" in their defense.

Think Eberflus could probably fix that if the Colts were to draft him.

Some interesting nuggets in today's Stick to Football podcast from Bleacher Report:

1) At least 5 teams have LVE off their board due to health concerns, but Matt Miller knows of teams picking in the top 10 who cleared him.
2) Teams are concerned with Josh Sweat's knee, thinking it will shorten his career. Some teams will view him as a 5 year player and will be okay with selecting him in rounds 2 or 3.
3) Taven Bryan is seen as a highly probable pick for the Falcons. I could see him as a potential Ballard target if he moved back up into late Rd1.
4) Thinks the Jets are going to pick Rosen and Browns will pick Chubb at 4.
5) Thinks Edmunds will go to 49ers at 9.
6) Hears that Vea will go top 15, probably to MIA or WAS.
7) Hears there are major concerns with Hurst's medicals (heart) and thinks he will go Day 3.
8) Only sees 7 blue chip players in this draft and about 15-20 1st round grades. But Miller has 50 or so 2nd round grades on players. Thinks some really good players will fall to 2nd round due to 5 or 6 QBs going Rd1.

Now that Ballard has confirmed that John Simon is a DE in the new scheme, we have ZERO viable starting calibre LBs on the roster.

4th year player / 01 NFL games started / 37 NFL games played in / 5th round draft pick / Jeremiah George
3rd year player / 19 NFL games started / 31 NFL games played in / 4th round draft pick / Antonio Morrison
2nd year player / 00 NFL games started / 06 NFL games played in / Undrafted into NFL../ Darnell Sankey
2nd year player / 02 NFL games started / 10 NFL games played in / 5th round draft pick / Anthony Walker Jr
2nd year player / 00 NFL games started / 11 NFL games played in / Undrafted into NFL../ Jermaine Grace

I know that 40 yard dash times are not football; however with Ballard beating the drum of getting "faster" on defense:

40 times from Combine or Pro Day of current LBs:

4.55 = Darnell Sankey
4.57 = Jermaine Grace
4.65 = Anthony Walker Jr
4.91 = Jeremiah George
5.16 = Antonio Morrison

Our two guys with 2 or 3 years NFL experience are also our slowest LBs. They were also brought in by Grigson and all the newer guys brought in last year by Ballard are much faster.

40 times from Combine or Pro Day of draftee LBs:

4.38 = Shaquem Griffin, Central Florida * (WSLB)
4.51 = Roquan Smith, Georgia * (MLB)
4.52 = Malik Jefferson, Texas * (WSLB)
4.53 = Jerone Baker, Ohio State
4.54 = Tremaine Edmunds, Virginia Tech * (MLB)
4.59 = Genard Avery, Memphis
4.59 = Oren Burks, Vanderbilt
4.61 = Dorian O'Daniel, Clemson
4.63 = Andre Smith, North Carolina
4.64 = Fred Warner, BYU
4.65 = Leighton Vander Esch, Boise State * (WSLB)
4.66 = Micah Kiser, Virginia

==== Speed Break ? ====

4.70 = Darius Leonard, South Carolina
4.75 = Rashaan Evans, Alabama (Did not run at Combine or Pro Day. This numbers is from an Alabama football fan website from "team" numbers" from the 2017 season. His 2016 time was 4.65 and his 2015 time was 4.60)
4.75 = Christian Sam, Arizona State
4.76 = Mike McCray, Michigan
4.77 = Tegray Scales, Indiana
4.82 = Josey Jewell, Iowa

* = Guys I like as probably starters on a Colts 4-3 defense in 2018.

My guess is that we will get a max of two LBs drafted and then either have to produce a SSLB from our internal guys or potential veteran free agents still on the market like Kevin Minter or Gerald Hodges.

I really think that we need to come out of this draft with two LBs picked in the first 3 rounds of the draft. We really have no one on the roster currently who inspires confidence at the positions.

Walk Worthy,

Barring a trade back I really expect the pick at 6 to be either Smith or Edmunds. I think that may be the case even if Chubb is still available. Personally I think I’d slightly prefer Edmunds. Maybe it’s having watched the Dungy lead defense get ran all over time and time again, but Smiths size concerns me. Even with me knowing how great he is in coverage and how important that is in the modern NFL I just can’t shake it. Maybe it’s like a sports induced PTSD

Think Thomas Davis, Deion Jones, and Bobby Wagner. Those guys are studs who are "undersized" LBs.

Really, it's the speed and instincts that set Smith apart. Yes, he could get blocked, but not if he beats you to the spot.