Colts Have Change of Heart in 2024 Re-Draft

The Indianapolis Colts had a rare opportunity in the 2024 NFL Draft. Sitting with the 15th overall selection, they had an unprecedented run of offensive players picked in front of them, leaving them with a chance to take the first defensive player off the board.

They selected defensive end Laiatu Latu out of UCLA, leading Colts general manager Chris Ballard to gleefully claim, "We got the best f****** rusher in the draft!"

Taking a player as high as they did -- especially being the first defensive player selected -- comes with many expectations. Latu didn't necessarily have a disappointing rookie year, but he certainly got passed up in notoriety by several other defensive rookies.

Because of this, in his re-do of the 2024 NFL Draft, Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report has the Colts going in a different direction with their first pick:

15. Indianapolis Colts: Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo

Original Pick: Laiatu Latu, Edge, UCLA

Latu was far from a disaster as a rookie, finishing with four sacks, 23 quarterback pressures and five tackles for loss. However, he wasn't the instant difference-maker that teams want in a mid-first-round pick.

Cornerback Quinyon Mitchell, on the other hand, was exactly that. The Toledo product landed with the Philadelphia Eagles at No. 22 and went on to have a terrific season as a 16-game starter. Though he didn't record an interception during the regular season, he had 12 pass breakups and allowed an opposing passer rating of only 87.2 in coverage.

Pro Football Focus ranked Mitchell 33rd overall among all 222 cornerbacks for the 2024 season.

For a team that ranked 26th in passing yards allowed in 2024, Mitchell has too much value to ignore here. The idea of pairing him with 2025 free-agent addition Charvarius Ward is incredibly intriguing.

Latu was a solid player as a rookie, getting 4.0 sacks and forcing three fumbles as a rotational player, but he still has much room to grow. First, he needs to reach starter, three-down status, but he also needs to do a better job of finishing off plays, as he got to the quarterback far more often than his sack numbers would indicate. However, it was only his rookie season, and he should get some grace to develop.

Mitchell, on the other hand, had a terrific season locking up opposing receivers en route to a Super Bowl victory. The microscope that his Philadelphia Eagles were under certainly helped amplify his reputation.

For what it's worth, in Knox's re-draft, Latu was re-drafted at No. 27 by the Arizona Cardinals, ahead of wide receiver Keon Coleman (Buffalo Bills), center Cooper Beebe (Detroit Lions), cornerback Mike Sainristill (Baltimore Ravens), guard Dominick Puni (San Francisco 49ers), and offensive lineman Troy Fautanu (Kansas City Chiefs).

Recommended Articles