2024 NFL Draft

[AlwaysSunnyinIndy]

A little more than 2 months away...

Obviously the selections can change between now and draft day with trades, but here is the current collection of picks for the Colts this year:


Round 1 - Pick 15
Round 2 - Pick 46
Round 3 - Pick 82
Round 4 - Pick 117
Round 5 - Pick 149
Round 6 - Pick 192
Round 7 - Pick 231

[AlwaysSunnyinIndy]

This might impact the draft strategy for later rounds this year:


https://apnews.com/article/senior-bo...058c9d3eedab28

NIL opportunities leave smaller pool of late-round NFL draft prospects

BY JOHN ZENOR

MOBILE, Ala. (AP) — Most of the focus leading up to the NFL draft will be on the potential franchise quarterbacks and other first-round talent, but some NFL teams may find slimmer pickings when it comes to the later rounds.

Now, players with less lofty draft stock can still return and collect name, image and likeness money for another season -- basically a guaranteed paycheck -- sometimes using their extra COVID year. And that’s a big reason why a modest 58 underclassmen declared for the draft, the fewest since 2011 (56).

It was evident to Jim Nagy when he was building out the Senior Bowl roster. There’s plenty of talent at the top, especially with three-year juniors eligible for all-star games like Saturday’s Senior Bowl for the first time, but fewer strong options down the line.

“It was really unique. Rounds five through seven on our board got wiped out in the month of December,” said Nagy, a former NFL scout and current Senior Bowl executive director. “We’ll see what it looks like in April. NIL is a great thing for the players, an awesome thing, but it does have an effect on the draft, whatever that may be.”

He expects plenty of movement with NFL teams trading late-round picks to stock up for next year, or trying to move up into the first four rounds.

NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah agrees that NIL will impact the depth of prospects for the April draft. He thinks that’s a positive in many ways for players, their college teams and maybe for NFL teams who get more fully developed prospects, just a year later.

“They can go back and help themselves financially, get better, get more development,” Jeremiah said. “So it works for them, it works for the colleges. Obviously they keep their better players on campus.

“For the NFL, eventually you get an easier evaluation because there is more tape to go off of, there is a longer career, there is a bigger track record. I think in the long term, everybody wins.”

The NIL impact is here to stay. The extra COVID year is phasing out.

Tennessee Titans general manager Ran Carthon thinks the ripple effect of fewer juniors could be a boon for seniors who might otherwise have gone undrafted.

“In the past, we have usually a high number of early entry juniors that get drafted, which kind of pushes the senior talent down,” said Carthon, whose team has the No. 7 pick. “I think this now brings senior talent back into the pool because there are some guys that are quote-unquote undrafted free agents that are worthy of these later round picks. “

“But just because of the sheer number of people that are in there, they just get pushed out. So I think no matter what, you’re going to always be able to find value in all those rounds.”

He also thinks getting those seniors adds both an element of experience, and that the NIL gives incoming prospects more financial literacy.

“We’re not getting guys that are coming to our level that are being exposed to money for the first time,” Carthon said.

[sherck]

Lower round folks staying for NIL deals is a one or two draft class blip. It might effect this year's class and, perhaps, next year's but after that then those players will need to hit the draft pool as their college eligability runs out and then the flow will continue as before.

It is an interesting consideration for this year, however.

[njcoltfan]

Staying around for NIL money also increases the chance of sustaining a career ending injury, and never entering the NFL.

[Dam8610]

Originally Posted by njcoltfan

Staying around for NIL money also increases the chance of sustaining a career ending injury, and never entering the NFL.

What's the difference if they do that in college or the NFL if they're making ~$750k either way? They don't get access to the NFLPA benefits, sure, but what 21 year old kid is factoring a pension into their decision to declare for the draft?

[Mr. Session]

Originally Posted by Dam8610

What's the difference if they do that in college or the NFL if they're making ~$750k either way? They don't get access to the NFLPA benefits, sure, but what 21 year old kid is factoring a pension into their decision to declare for the draft?

They have to actually make the team, for one.

EDIT - Nevermind, I can't read.

[Colts And Orioles]

Originally Posted by Mr. Session

They have to actually make the team, for one.


EDIT - Nevermind, I can't read.

o


This warrants an immediate phone call to the headquarters of the Guinness Book of World Records in Great Britain ...... an illiterate who can somehow write complete and coherent sentences.

o

[apballin]

Kiper has us taking Bowers at 15

[sherck]

Originally Posted by apballin

Kiper has us taking Bowers at 15

If that were to happen, I think it would be incredible.

MPJ and Bower to work the "traditional" posession routes with Pierce going long and Downs working all over the place to find mismatches? And Taylor carrying the rock and swing routes?

Pick...your...poison.

If AR delivers on half of the promise of his physical skills and mental development, our offense would be in great shape for next year.

Then, use five of the other six picks on defense and the last on offensive line. Need to keep restocking the line.

[IndyNorm]

I'd love to see us draft Bowers too, but I'm guessing that won't happen. If his pre-draft workout numbers reflect the athleticism he shows on the field then I have to believe he'll go in the top 10. Doubt we'd do it, but he might be worth a trade up.