The Indianapolis Colts are just one day away from the start of the 2024 NFL draft so it's time to get bold.
While the Colts are an organization that won't be as aggressive during the draft, the biggest weekend of the offseason always provides some surprises. Some of them may come from trades we didn't expect or from the team selecting a player we didn't believe they had interest in.
When going through some bold predictions, it's best to understand that it's unlikely that most—or all—of these come true. That's why they are bold. But we also want to provide some avenues of realistic possibilities within them.
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Bold predictions for the Colts in NFL draft
1. Colts trade up for offensive weapon
There has been a lot of recent chatter about the potential for the Colts trading up in the first round of the draft. It's something general manager Chris Ballard has never done during his tenure, and the chances are it will continue that way. In fact, it's more likely the Colts move back in the first round.
MORE: Trade down partners for the Colts in NFL draft
But we're getting bold here. Moving up for an offensive weapon is still a plausible notion even if it's unlikely. If tight end Brock Bowers or one of the Big 3 wide receivers falls to the double digits, there's a scenario Ballard pulls the trigger. Again, it's unlikely, but not completely implausible.
2. Colts wait until Round 4 to draft a cornerback
The fourth round is kind of an arbitrary number here, but the class is deep enough to where the Colts could get a starter in the first three rounds. Most of the mock drafts have the Colts taking a cornerback in the first round and it's rare to find predictions in which Indy bypasses the position altogether through the first two days.
However, there may be some truth to what Ballard said in terms of his faith in the current cornerback room. They saw promising returns from rookie JuJu Brents and Jaylon Jones, and Dallis Flowers is expected to return from a torn Achilles. Is it recommended that the Colts wait until Day 3 to draft its first cornerback? Absolutely not. But crazier things have happened.
3. Colts bypass safety entirely
This would not be a fun situation for Colts fans considering the current state of the depth chart. Even though things got a little better after re-signing Julian Blackmon to a one-year deal, the depth and future of the position bring a lot of question marks.
MORE: How the Colts can get an A-plus draft haul
With that said, it wouldn't be a surprise if Ballard felt comfortable enough to bypass the position entirely with second-year Daniel Scott also coming off an ACL tear. The class isn't expected to be a deep crop even if there are some solid Day 3 fits that may intrigue the Colts, and there's a scenario in which Ballard takes his chances going into 2024.
4. Mo Alie-Cox is traded on Day 3
The Colts haven't made a trade yet this offseason, but we should expect a few throughout draft weekend. It's rare that Ballard makes a trade that involves a player, but it has happened a few times throughout his tenure. The prime candidate to be moved off the roster is the team's current starting tight end.
MORE: 1 tight end prospect for Colts in each round of NFL draft
While they're in solid standing with the salary cap, trading Alie-Cox would free up $5.9 million in space. This might especially be true if the Colts wind up taking Brock Bowers in the first round. Again, it probably won't happen, and the Colts wouldn't get much for Alie-Cox, but he's the player with the highest chance of being traded during the draft.
For more Colts coverage, check out Kevin Hickey's work on Sporting News.
