The Indianapolis Colts are continuing to build on the formula for success laid out in the Frank Reich and Chris Ballard era. But how did the 2020 NFL Draft continue these plans?
Here’s the thoughts and analysis on the most notable players selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Colts’ 2020 Draft Selections
Michael Pittman Jr. | WR | No. 34 Overall (Round 2)
Michael Pittman Jr. was the Colts’ wide receiver pick out of the USC. While the PAC 12 Conference was not a particularly standout conference in the 2020 Draft, they still had some big names selected. Pittman is certainly a standout. First of all, he is a large target for a wide receiver, at 6″4′ and 220 lbs. He had a team-leading 101 receptions and a 1,275-yard 2019 season, showing consistent and marked improvement over his career there.
It’s evident that he is a workhorse receiver and will probably step up quickly in the NFL. Pittman is a great pick, especially for the second round, and he will be an exciting player to watch. It is also worth noting that Indy traded for the 34th pick from the Washington Redskins, so a wide receiver must have been a priority from the start, even if it came in the second round.
Jonathan Taylor | RB | No. 41 Overall (Round 2)
I have no idea how Jonathan Taylor stayed on the draft board as long as he did. Taylor’s college career at Wisconsin is a standout, especially in the tough Big Ten conference. He has not one, but two, 2000+ yard seasons over his three years at Wisconsin. He averaged 6.3 yards per attempt in the 2019 season, against Big Ten defenses no less.
This is a great draft pick for the Colts that I think could go one of two ways. The first way it could go is they use him immediately during the 2020 season. Marlon Mack and Taylor would both be threatening to a defense on the field at the same time. Also, if Taylor learns under Mack and adapts to the NFL well, he will be an excellent starting RB in the future.
The other way it could go is Taylor could develop in Indy and get traded to fill a more immediate need, if the situation arises. I would hate to lose Taylor, and I don’t think this is the case, but it could come out of necessity.
Jacob Eason | QB | No. 122 Overall (Round 4)
So, the Colts made a bet, so to speak, on a quarterback for the future. I would argue that, right now, Indianapolis is a great place and time for a QB to start out. Philip Rivers and Jacoby Brissett are two very different players, but both have clear strengths. Learning from both and combining the best parts of each of their games would produce a monster starting QB.
Jacob Eason’s college career was marred by an injury in the first game of the 2017 season. In the 2016 season at Georgia, he had a 59.8% completion rate over 370 attempts for a total of 2,430 passing yards. This would surely have improved at Georgia in 2017 had he not been injured. After a year off and a transfer to Washington, 2019 was an excellent season for Eason. He racked up 3,132 passing yards, with a 64.2% completion rate over 405 attempts. The numbers are impressive and I suspect it is the injury history that kept Eason on the board until the fourth round. Luckily, he looks to be a great draft value for the Colts. I am excited to see how Eason will develop and how much he learns from Rivers and Brissett.
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