Colts Talents Compared to Rising Draft Stars

The Indianapolis Colts are approaching a critical NFL draft in a mere six days. After all the preparations and needs that arose, Indianapolis is now on the precipice of answering multiple roster needs with the talent of the future.

With the draft so close, there will always be professional NFL comparisons to the prospects, and CBS Sports bringing up the top 100 with comps is no different in Kyle Stackpole's article.

For Indy, they find two of their veterans (one solidified, another a free agent) on the list. First is offensive tackle from Purdue, Marcus Mbow, who was compared to veteran tackle Braden Smith.

"Smith is more developed than Mbow at the same stage, but both are similar athletically and technically in pass protection. They have excellent feet and an explosive lower half, and both are always looking for work on every snap."

Mbow was the highest graded offensive lineman on the Boilermakers in 2024, posting a Pro Football Focus offensive mark of 74.0 and allowing one quarterback hit. Smith struggled with injuries and missed five games. However, Smith had a contract restructure and will be with Indy for at least the 2025 season until he hits free agency next year.

As for the second comparison, it's ball-hawking Notre Dame safety Xavier Watts. His comp is current Colts in-house free agent Julian Blackmon.

"Similar to Blackmon, Watts plays with outstanding range, fluidity and ball skills -- showing a knack for being around the football in coverage or when triggering downhill. They both exude versatility, athleticism and a natural feel for coverage that give them the ability to play multiple roles in a secondary, whether it's as a single-high safety, split zone defender or occasionally in the slot."

Watts had a torrid last two seasons with the Fighting Irish, totaling 13 interceptions for 273 return yards, and collecting 134 tackles, 14 passes defended, and two All-American designations. Along with his statistics, he also snagged the Nagurski award in 2023, which is the best defender in college football.