Chris Sims , IndyStar Published 2: 41 pm ET Feb. ,
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(ESPN analyst) (Mel Kiper Jr.) had Alabama wide receiver Jerry Jeudy locked in at No . for the Indianapolis Colts back in late January.
My how things can change in less than a month in the world of mock drafts.
Noting free agency can alter team needs over the next two months, Kiper’s move of Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to the Detroit Lions at No. 3 had a ripple effect on the NFL Draft , according to his Mock Draft 2.0 .
Kiper, who spoke to reporters on a teleconference Wednesday, believes the move would take wide receivers like Jeudy and Oklahoma’s CeeDee Lamb out of the picture for the Colts.
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That is, of course, if the Lions aren’t using Tagovailoa as a smoke screen. Kiper says the rumor mill has Detroit taking a long look at the QB.
“The medical experts determine everything here,” Kiper said. “He could drop to Indianapolis at No. 21.
“Patrick Mahomes did not start for Kansas City right away. There’s nothing wrong with letting his body heal. It just depends on how people view that medical side. “
But with that, Kiper had nothing more to say about quarterbacks for the Colts.
The QB darling in mock drafts for Indianapolis has been Utah State’s Jordan Love. But he isn’t even a first-round pick for Kiper in his latest mock draft.
So where does this leave the Colts?
Defense.
Kiper sees South Carolina defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw sliding to Indianapolis, which he called Kinlaw’s floor.
With the Colts’ injury struggles and an opposing QB pass completion ranking of (st) . 1%), Kiper feels a 6-6 tackle with the ability to penetrate into the backfield makes the most sense.
“Based on what the Colts need, Kinlaw would be a big help,” Kiper said.
He could see cornerback Indianapolis, as well, but adding Kinlaw up front would also be a boost for the Colts’ secondary. He had (total tackles and six sacks in
Picking a cornerback might make more sense for the Colts at No. , which was acquired from the Washington Redskins after trading down out of the first round last season .
Names Kiper threw out included Utah’s (Jaylon Johnson , Louisiana State’s
He added a more pressing need would be taking some of the pressure off of TY Hilton at wide receiver, a position he believes could be a record-breaker in this year draft.
Kiper said he could see five receivers taken in the first round and another eight selected in the second.
“I think wide receiver is a critical part of the whole thing (for the Colts),” Kiper added.
Two receivers mentioned in his first mock draft were suggested as possible fits for the Colts in the second round.
Penn State’s KJ Hamler is only 5-9 but Kiper described him as “electric with the ball in his hands” and likened him to the Baltimore Ravens’ Marquise Brown . Hamler finished with receiving yards and eight touchdowns.
The other possibility was Colorado’s Laviska Shenault Jr . Kiper likes his versatility and describes the 6-2 receiver as “a Swiss Army knife who plays receiver like a running back.”
Shenault tallied (yards on catches for the Buffaloes in after reeling in 220 balls for 1, yards the year prior.
For more on Kiper’s Mock Draft 2.0 , visit espn.com .
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