Is the prototype wide receiver for the Colts evolving?

Fans and observers believed we knew wide receiver Chris Ballard’s preferences for the Colts were set before the 2023 NFL Draft. After all, from 2018 to 2022, he had selected six wide receivers, almost all of whom met a specific profile.

Maybe nobody had drawn attention to this profile quite like Zach Hicks of Sports Illustrated, whose yearly “Build-A-Ballard” piece series described the characteristics that all of the Colts draft selections had, regardless of Ballard’s position group of choice. This series proved to be so accurate in locating Ballard’s prototypes that it assisted Hicks in determining Alec Pierce, the Colts’ 2022 second-round wide out selection, early on.

According to Hicks, the following characteristics were shared by Ballard’s wide receiver draft picks going into the 2023 round:

Strong, 200+ pound

participants

Usually over six feet tall, with Parris Campbell being the only exception [by 1/8th of an inch]

A minimum of a 120-inch broad jump and 35-inch vertical jump (Deon Cain is the only exemption).

Strengths: Outstanding athletes, explosiveness and speed, vertical threat, adaptability to challenging passes, especially to outside receivers

Weaknesses: Poor route running, stumbles, and difficulty pressing

knowledgeable blocker or readiness to block

Senior Bowl, leadership, and team captaincy are among Ballard’s trademarks with the Colts.

But is there a chance that this prototype is changing? A new kind of wide receiver was selected in the first round of the draft during the first year of the new head coach Shane Steichen’s offensive strategy.

The Colts selected Josh Downs, a 5’8 6/8″ and 171 lb wide receiver out of in the third round of the 2023 Draft.

Carolinas. Ballard has never selected a smaller or lighter wide receiver for the Colts than Downs. He was more well-known as a superb route runner in the slot on short to intermediate routes than as an outside vertical threat, while having a very high passer rating when targeted deep. Despite his stature, he was particularly successful against Press because his routes were precise and his hands were trustworthy. Not your “typical” Ballard Wide Receiver, exactly.

Downs, however, still met the explosiveness requirements thanks to his 38.5″ vertical and 131″ broad jump. His 40-yard time of 4.48 met athletic requirements for his size, but he had a lightning-fast 10-yard split of 1.51.

Downs broke a Colts Rooke Franchise record in his rookie season.

most receptions (68), registering 2 touchdowns and 771 yards. After Parris Campbell left during the previous free agency period, the Colts turned to him as their starting slot wide receiver. His highly transferable NFL-ready skill set had an instant impact. Could Chris Ballard, now that Shane Steichen is the head coach, be adjusting his draft standards to accommodate more small-framed wide receivers after such a stellar debut campaign? Or did they require a slot wide receiver last year rather than an X or Z on the wings, making the pick a one-off?

We have some cause to believe in the former after this last week.

Many coaches from the offensive side of the ball, in particular, were among the Colts coaching staff members who attended the Texas Longhorns Pro Day in large numbers. Broad

Colts veteran and receiver coach Reggie Wayne was present, giving the Colts a sneak peek at two Longhorns wide receivers who are expected to be selected early in the draft: Xavier Worthy and Adonai Mitchell.

AD Mitchell is a great representation of the previous Ballard WR template. At 6’2 and 205 pounds, Mitchell was an incredible athlete who crushed the Combine, ranking fifth all-time with a 9.99 RAS. Mitchell might be a target for the Colts given how much Ballard has prioritized athletic testing.

When you combine Mitchell’s physical prowess with arguably of the draft’s most dependable hands (just 1.8% drop rate in 2023, second best in the 2024 Draft Class), as well as a solid vertical profile (16 Average Depth of Target), he appears to be a great fit forthe Colts. Inconsistent route running is the main thing preventing Mitchell from being regarded as one of the best wide receivers in the very competitive 2024 draft class. He can occasionally lower his hips to make rapid cuts, but he usually rounded off his routes and “took plays off” when he wasn’t the main player in the play. This is not just his worst shortcoming, but it also contradicts everything Ballard has said about the kind of guys he wants on the Colts.
The date is January 14, 2012. We are in San Francisco at Candlestick Park. The 49ers need a touchdown with 14 seconds remaining, down three, and facing a third down to maintain their hopes of making the playoffs without having to go to OT. The

The Saints, meanwhile, can take a lesson from this and move on to the NFC Championship Game. We need to look back in time to comprehend how we got here and to fully appreciate what this moment signifies.

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Meanwhile, at 5’11” and 165 pounds, Xavier Worthy might not fit the Colts’ prior prototype because of size restrictions. If Worthy is brought to Indianapolis, he would add something truly exceptional and unique to the Colts wide receiver core: speed, even if this condition is removed from the prototype. Alec Pierce, who has a 4.41 speed rating and a 9.26 weight adjusted speed score, is the Colts’ deep threat, but Worthy is a completely different class of speed.

Not just any old speed, either. As stated by Elenor Roosevelt in Talladega

Nights: Ricky Bobby’s Ballad:

Xavier Worthy is the NFL Combine’s fastest wide receiver ever, to put it literally. Combine this with ridiculous split times of 10 and 20 yards, incredibly fast reflexes, and a strong track record of route running? The appeal is readily apparent.

Although some may believe that Worthy should only play wide receiver in the slot (and that the Colts would be a bad fit for him given that Downs currently fills that position), Worthy only spent 31.1% of his collegiate snaps in the slot, with a maximum percentage of 39.9% in 2023. In contrast, Josh Downs was a slot 89% of the time. Worthy seems more as a three-level outer danger with the ability to enter. In a drop, Worthy’s hands are nearly as good as Downs’.

% (0.8% greater decline %) despite a deeper target share; nevertheless, in contested catch scenarios, performance was less favorable. For opposition offenses, however, thinking what Steichen may plan with that pace is daunting, particularly when teamed with a healthy Anthony Richardson, Jonathan Taylor, and Jelani Woods.

Worthy’s Longhorn colleague may not be as highly valued by the Colts as Worthy is.

Worthy had a visit from the Colts in the Top 30, not Mitchell. Although the visit does not guarantee a Colt, it does indicate that the Colts wish to examine Worthy in greater detail.

There were other Pro Days when wide receivers with a significant Colts presence were present besides Texas. Western Kentucky witnessed a sizable group

additionally, even though Brian Bratton, the assistant wide receiver coach and coordinator of offensive quality control, was present instead of Reggie Wayne.

Scouts from thirty-one teams gathered to see Malachi Corley as the primary attraction. The wide receiver, who was unable to test at the Combine, impressed several organizations with his intriguing profile and performed well during Senior Bowl workouts.

At 5’10 5/8, he is similar to Worthy in that he does not meet the Colts previous height criteria. Despite having a higher speed profile (0.24-0.26 seconds faster on the 40), Corley, weighing 215 pounds, has a solid +50 pounds advantage over Worthy. Getting Corley in space is a headache for anyone who is taller than him but stout with amazing agility and force in his runs.

tackle defensive backs.

The former Hilltopper is built like a running back and possesses the agility to run short routes like Josh Downs, making him a totally different wide receiver than any of the Colts’ current wide receivers. While most of the other prospective Colts wide receiver targets lack vertical or outside receiving experience, he does have the moniker “Yards After the Catch God.” In 2023, he leads the whole 2024 Draft Class with 8.6 YAC per reception. It is easy to understand why he compares himself favorably to Deebo Samuel.

Parris Campbell, who topped his class with 9.9 yards per reception in the 2019 Draft, was the closest the Colts have come to finding a wide receiver in the mold of Corley.

in the year 2018. Given how many Colts fans attended the Hilltopper game, Corley would be a good target for the team in an attempt to add another potent underclass threat.

Nevertheless, since Reggie Wayne attended more than one Pro Day, the Colts may still search the draft for a bigger wide receiver. Brian Thomas Jr. and Malik Nabers were the featured players at the LSU Pro Day, which Reggie attended. Brian Thomas Jr. might be a very realistic round one target for the Colts, even if Nabers is guaranteed to go in the top 10 as one of the Big 3 WRs of this draft class (with Marvin Harrison Jr. and Rome Odunze).

Brian Thomas Jr., another extraordinary athlete, most definitely matches the Colts’ previous blueprint.

in measurements and sports evaluations. Given Shane Steichen’s penchant for deeper route ideas from his time as the offensive coordinator of the Eagles, Thomas Jr. is a strong candidate to be this draft class’s finest deep threat. His 17 touchdowns from the previous season included 10 vertical routes.

a large, powerful, quick wide receiver who plays basketball to increase his grab radius. Although he may not possess the same route running accuracy as other wide receivers, his exceptional athleticism, deft hands, and vertical threat give him an impressive profile akin to that of Alec Pierce.

The Colts are obviously keeping a close eye on the best wide receiver in this class. Beyond these three, there are many more Wide Receivers that might be of interest.the Colts during the first two Draft days: