Colts' Nick Cross Set to Build on Breakout Season

Cross was a fantastic run defender this past season, particularly when he came down into the box around the line of scrimmage. In the Colts' nickel sets, Cross would serve as the weak side linebacker filling on the backside of the formation. He showcased outstanding physicality and speed from this position, and his tackling consistency was among the best on the team.

This is arguably the most important trait when projecting Cross into the Colts' new defensive system. Anarumo almost exclusively lives in nickel/dime personnel groupings, so it's vital to have a strong safety that is capable of surviving the physicality of the box. Cross shined in this regard last year and his ability will allow Anarumo to stay true to his tendencies with the Colts.

In a year where the Colts struggled mightily to defend the run, Cross was a notable bright spot on a weak defense in this regard.

Tackling Consistency

The Colts were one of the worst tackling teams in the NFL last season, as multiple players had missed tackle rates over 20%. This was especially problematic in Gus Bradley's defense, with his entire philosophy being built around forcing underneath throws and rallying to the football to limit yards after the catch. Luckily, Cross was pretty stout in this regard.

Cross posted a 10.8% missed tackle rate last season, which was good for number five on the Colts' defense. He had the lowest missed tackle rate among all defenders with at least 50 tackles and he consistently finished off plays where the ball was completed in front of him. He excelled at stuffing screen passes and underneath routes and truly complemented what Bradley wanted this defense to accomplish on passing downs.

Coverage Flashes

Cross primarily shined as a run defender this past season, but several moments on film caught my eye in coverage. He was particularly strong in man coverage, as his size and speed make him a difficult player to beat in a foot race down the field. His zone eyes have also improved a good bit, and he has developed a good feel in the box as an underneath hook zone defender.

It would still be a stretch to call Cross an elite coverage player, but there is enough on film to be optimistic about his trajectory. He can be an awesome box defender in zone coverage with the speed and explosivness to take away options in man coverage. That is a valuable asset for any defense but especially for the one that Anarumo is likely to deploy next season.

Playmaking Ability

The Colts' defense regressed big time from 2023 to 2024 in its ability to take the ball away. Several players had down seasons in this regard, and it led to the overall unit struggling even more this past season. In a year that the Colts couldn't take the ball away, Cross emerged as a player capable of making big plays. He ranked second on the team (behind only Zaire Franklin) in takeaways this past season.

The major aspect is that these are high-level football plays. These interceptions aren't bad overthrows where Cross happens to be in the right place at the right time, these are outstanding breaks on the football that he's finishing with outstanding catches. The deep interception against the Jacksonville Jaguars showcased great ball tracking and positioning to come away with a pick.

If Cross is capable of making even more plays like these going forward, he will find himself in the Pro Bowl discussion before too long.

Negatives

Miscommunications

Cross seemingly did everything well last season. The biggest point of emphasis this offseason is just to clean up the minor mistakes and make his game a bit more crisp. The high-level flashes were outstanding and he generally played at a high floor, but there were a few low points last year that soured an otherwise strong season. These miscues were mainly a result of poor miscommunication rather than poor ability, so there is room to clean it up going into next year.

Pro Football Focus charted Cross as allowing six touchdowns in coverage last season, which ranked second-worst on the Colts. Most of these touchdowns came off of poor communication in the red zone, leading to walk-in scores that were relatively uncontested. Cross needs to clean this up to hit his potential with the Colts. A player can be perfect 99% of the time, but these types of plays simply can't happen on winning football teams.

Ball Skills

The other area of growth needed in Cross' game is simply separating man from ball in the pass game. Cross generally played in position last season and made plays tough for opponents, but he struggled to force incomplete passes when targeted. According to PFF, Cross had a 3% forced incompletion rate last season, ranking 62nd out of 64 starting safeties.

Hopefully with more time and reps on the field, Cross will become more adept at locating the ball when in phase and make plays in the passing game. The high-level flashes are there, he just needs to be more consistent at forcing incomplete passes. That is really the next biggest step he can take as a player in 2025.

The Bottom Line

Cross was one of the Colts' best overall defenders last season and was arguably the most consistent player on that side of the ball. He is an awesome run defender who is a consistent tackler with strong flashes in the passing game. He has the explosiveness and the size to be a force defender in this league, and his flashes as a playmaker give him legit Pro Bowl potential in the right scheme.

The next step for Cross is simply cleaning up his process and how he operates. If he can be a bit more consistent in the red zone and show more growth in pass coverage, he can be a legit top 10 strong safety in the NFL. He is very similar to former Miami Dolphins safety Reshad Jones, a player who thrived under Anarumo for six years in Miami.

Overall, I'm very high on Cross and his potential. At just 23 years old, he has shown the ability to be a legit playmaker in this league and a force player in run defense. If he keeps growing as he has been in the league, nothing will stop him from being a legitimate player in the NFL. He is one of the Colts' best defensive players, and he should thrive under Anarumo.

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