Ballard’s draft record

[Kray007]

Originally Posted by Oldcolt

He has built a team with 'no holes' and no impact players. Just a bunch of average to slightly above average player. Shit the 3 best players on defense we have we didn't even evaluate and draft. Nobody outside of hard core Colt fans think any of these picks are all proish, except maybe a guard and a running back. He did nail it his first year here, been so long I almost forgot.

The thing is that I don’t care if Dave from Denver or Andy from Albuquerque or Eugene from, well, Eugene doesn’t know jack squat about the Colt’s lineup. I don’t expect anyone but Colt fans, die hard or not, to be even passingly familiar with the likes of Bernhard Raimann or Zaire Franklin. Heck, the only reason that the guy from CBS who does play by play on Sunday knows anything is because CBS has a legion of producers who do a deep dive from Monday to Wednesday.

For all of its shortcomings, if you’re looking for a non biased opinion on talent, you can’t do much better than PFF. Their take is that 14 Colts starters receive grades higher than 70. They are:

Daniel Jones 71.7
Jonathan Taylor. 78.6
Bernhard Raimann. 82.0
Quenton Nelson. 84.5
Tanot Bortoloni. 82.6
Jalen Travis. 72.2
Josh Downs. 77.1
Alec pierce. 79.3
Michael Pittman. 70.4
Laiatu Latu 84.1
DeForest Buckner 74.0
Sauce Gardner. 76.9
Charvarius Ward 77.1
Cam Bynum. 70.3

5 players
rated higher than 79.3.

The seahawks have 15.higher than 70, 5 higher than 80.
The Jags have 11 in the 70’s and 3 who crack 80.
For Houston, 7 and 3

Impact players include Daniel Jones, Jonathan Taylor, Alec Pierce, DeForest Buckner, Quenton Nelson, Sauce Gardner and Charvarius Ward. In addition, even though I know it’ll stoke great disagreement, they say Latu is a top 10 edge player.

[IndyNorm]

I wouldn't include guys who had very little impact or a negative impact for the Colts as successful draft picks. This would include Campbell, Woods, Brents, Mitchell, Carlies, and Walley.

Also, some of your comments are inaccurate or lacking nuance. For example:

Rock - Part time starter for the Lions (6 games), so a backup there. He basically became a journeyman backup. So not a terrible pick, but didn't live up to where he was drafted.

Speed - Again, a part time starter (9 games for HOU). Good value for a day 3 pick, but not the stud you make him out to be. Also, think I should point out that he tied w/ Franklin for 3rd in the league in missed tackles in '24 before we let him walk.

Latu - Where are you getting that he had 11 sacks this year? I'm seeing 8.5. Which isn't bad, but doesn't live up to where he was drafted. If he keeps improving maybe he'll get there.

[Oldcolt]

I'm with you in that I could care less what other football fans think. I could also care less what PFF thinks unless their opinion get you wins. To me the best and most fair evaluation of the roster is the teams record. It has zero 'opinion' in it and is 100% factual based. I am not looking for a GM in love with rating like PFF or RAS scores. I would like one looking to 'just win baby'. If we were winning with the players Ballard drafted all this would be moot. The only reason this is an issue is all these franchises we used to laugh at have multiple AFC South titles since Ballard got here and we have zero. It sucks

[Kray007]

Originally Posted by Oldcolt

I'm with you in that I could care less what other football fans think. I could also care less what PFF thinks unless their opinion get you wins. To me the best and most fair evaluation of the roster is the teams record. It has zero 'opinion' in it and is 100% factual based. I am not looking for a GM in love with rating like PFF or RAS scores. I would like one looking to 'just win baby'. If we were winning with the players Ballard drafted all this would be moot. The only reason this is an issue is all these franchises we used to laugh at have multiple AFC South titles since Ballard got here and we have zero. It sucks

It may be fair to evaluate a team based on record, but not when Philip Rivers or Riley Leonard is lined up under Center, not when your Quarterback is playing with a broken leg. The Colts played 7 games after Jones broke his leg. They lost 5 of them by a combined 16 points.

[rm1369]

So what I’m hearing is he just needs another year and then this a championship contending roster? If it’s not then what? One more year?

I feel like it’s about the 5th yr in a row I’ve heard that from Ballard supporters. I pray this time you guys are right.

The thing I can’t understand is why do you want such an unlucky guy as your GM? I mean the results speak for themselves. There is no opinion in the results. Straight facts. So if he’s as good as you say, then he’s obviously extremely unlucky. We aren’t talking one season here. He’s been here for almost a decade. I personally would prefer to keep the bad luck away from the team.

[Oldcolt]

Originally Posted by Kray007

It may be fair to evaluate a team based on record, but not when Philip Rivers or Riley Leonard is lined up under Center, not when your Quarterback is playing with a broken leg. The Colts played 7 games after Jones broke his leg. They lost 5 of them by a combined 16 points.

This is totally fair if you judge just on this year. We have 9 years wihl all sorts of reasons we are middling. However, listening to our owner I believe she sides with you on this.

[Kray007]

Originally Posted by Oldcolt

This is totally fair if you judge just on this year. We have 9 years wihl all sorts of reasons we are middling. However, listening to our owner I believe she sides with you on this.

Listening to Irsay-Gordon’s press conference, it seems to me that Ballard doesn’t have a long leash. She’ll spend money giving Ballard the freedom to add talent in free agency, but the money had better bring results.

Personally, I agree with her. I’ve spent the past half decade defending Ballard on the grounds that he didn’t have a Quarterback. I excuse that because finding a Quarterback is the second hardest task facing a GM…behind Edge defender.

He now has his Quarterback, and I expect him to fill the hole at DE in free agency. If he loses Buckner and Ward to free agency, he might get some slack. But everyone in the organization would have to be convinced that MAJOR progress has been made and that we are on the cusp.

[kitekrazy]

He' just not a genius at drafting with an 8 win team.
Also the scouting isn't helping.

[Kray007]

Originally Posted by IndyNorm

I wouldn't include guys who had very little impact or a negative impact for the Colts as successful draft picks. This would include Campbell, Woods, Brents, Mitchell, Carlies, and Walley.

Also, some of your comments are inaccurate or lacking nuance. For example:

Rock - Part time starter for the Lions (6 games), so a backup there. He basically became a journeyman backup. So not a terrible pick, but didn't live up to where he was drafted.

Speed - Again, a part time starter (9 games for HOU). Good value for a day 3 pick, but not the stud you make him out to be. Also, think I should point out that he tied w/ Franklin for 3rd in the league in missed tackles in '24 before we let him walk.

Latu - Where are you getting that he had 11 sacks this year? I'm seeing 8.5. Which isn't bad, but doesn't live up to where he was drafted. If he keeps improving maybe he'll get there.

PFF credits him with 11. The difference is that they give full credit for half sacks, which makes sense to me. He got to the Quarterback 11 times, and that’s all that counts.

Also, at no point did I imply that Speed is a stud.