Throughout the entire draft process, it's been glaringly obvious that the Indianapolis Colts need help at tight end. It's why so many people link Tyler Warren and Colston Loveland to them in mock drafts.
Before free agency, you saw a lot of defensive backs mocked to the Colts as well until they made a couple of major signings. Now, it's mostly just tight end.
However, the belief in some NFL circles is that the Colts may have their sights set on a particular position that many wouldn't consider the highest priority. Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda reported this week that rumor has it the Colts would like to come out of the first round with an offensive tackle.
"Speaking of the Colts, the belief from many outside the scouting community is that the team will take a tight end or safety in Round 1, as last year they tried to move up for Brock Bowers," Pauline wrote. "Yet the overwhelming belief during the pro-day circuit is that Chris Ballard and team would prefer to select an offensive tackle with their first pick of the draft."
While offensive tackle isn't the first thing you think of considering the supply and demand of the Colts' needs, it does make sense.
Left tackle Bernhard Raimann is an ascending young player who's in line for a huge extension from the Colts any time now, and that's where the certainty ends.
Right tackle Braden Smith took a big pay cut last month and is on a one-year deal now after injuries and personal issues kept him out of 12 games the last two years. Third-year player Blake Freeland hasn't turned out to be the swing tackle the Colts envisioned. Matt Goncalves is currently the swing tackle and the most likely in-house replacement for Smith when the time comes. Luke Tenuta and Jack Wilson are the only other tackles on the roster but are developmental practice squad-type players.
If the Colts want to go for an offensive tackle in the first round, then they'll certainly have options. If they want to trade up ahead of their current 14th-overall pick, then they could try and grab LSU's Will Campbell or Missouri's Armand Membou, both of whom are usually mocked inside the top 10 picks.
Around the Colts' range between about 10-25 are Ohio State's Josh Simmons, Texas' Kelvin Banks Jr., and Oregon's Josh Conerly Jr. The Colts could also trade back in the first round and select Grey Zabel from North Dakota State or Donovan Jackson from Ohio State, although both may be considered interior linemen by the Colts.
For what it's worth, this is smokescreen season, and the Colts are an infamously tight-lipped organization during the pre-draft process.
If the Colts don't wind up taking an offensive tackle early, they have been digging on players at the position throughout the draft, such as Oregon's Ajani Cornelius, BYU's Caleb Etienne, Oklahoma State's Dalton Cooper, Oregon State's Gerad Christian-Lichtenhan, and TCU's Bless Harris.
