Colts draft OT Jake Witt - Round 7, Pick 236

[AlwaysSunnyinIndy]

https://twitter.com/NateAtkins_/status/1652435346834046977

The Colts selected Northern Michigan OT Jake Witt with the No. 236 pick in the 7th round.

He's 6-7, 302 pounds and a converted tight end. An athletic freak still learning the OL.

https://twitter.com/MathBomb/status/1648723128237817872

Jake Witt is a OT prospect in the 2023 draft class.

He scored a 9.80 RAS out of a possible 10.00.

This ranked 27 out of 1293 OT from 1987 to 2023.

[nate505]

Whoa, 9.8? Future HOFer right here!

[HoosierinFL]

These high RAS scores of all these picks is almost comical.

Anyone have stats on how well these things correlate with success?

[IndyNorm]

These high RAS scores of all these picks is almost comical.

Anyone have stats on how well these things correlate with success?

I'm thinking that there's either minimal correlation and that the data is erroneous or is heavily skewed towards current year prospects. It's hard to believe that almost every single player we draft is in the top 2-5% athletically at their position over the past 26 years.

[omahacolt]

i have to say, these tackle projects are interesting to me. should be able to get a nice swing tackle out of one of them

[Racehorse]

I'm thinking that there's either minimal correlation and that the data is erroneous or is heavily skewed towards current year prospects. It's hard to believe that almost every single player we draft is in the top 2-5% athletically at their position over the past 26 years.

Nah! Every athlete this year is better than even the best athlete of ten years ago. Just ask NBA fans.

[Dam8610]

I'm thinking that there's either minimal correlation and that the data is erroneous or is heavily skewed towards current year prospects. It's hard to believe that almost every single player we draft is in the top 2-5% athletically at their position over the past 26 years.

Look at their numbers, it's true. Ballard looks for traits.

[IndyNorm]

Look at their numbers, it's true. Ballard looks for traits.

Yeah, we all know Ballard puts a lot of stock into traits. Just seems like something's off or getting skewed/inflated. As HoosierinFL said all of these through the roof RAS scores are making it comical.

Anyway, taking a look at this list (RAS score for Pro Bowlers), I'm not sure there's much of a correlation between RAS score and good player.

https://ras.football/pro-bowlers-and-ras/

There's plenty of good players with high RAS scores, but there's a ton of them with really low scores as well. Including these 2:

https://ras.football/2019/12/27/deforest-buckner-ras/

https://ras.football/2019/12/27/darius-leonard-ras/

Although I can say that I wish Ballard had put more stock into this RAS score:

https://ras.football/2020/01/11/matt-pryor-ras/#:~:text=That%20correlates%20to%206%20feet,9.83%20 score%20out%20of%2010.0.

[Dam8610]

Yeah, we all know Ballard puts a lot of stock into traits. Just seems like something's off or getting skewed/inflated. As HoosierinFL said all of these through the roof RAS scores are making it comical.

Anyway, taking a look at this list (RAS score for Pro Bowlers), I'm not sure there's much of a correlation between RAS score and good player.

https://ras.football/pro-bowlers-and-ras/

There's plenty of good players with high RAS scores, but there's a ton of them with really low scores as well. Including these 2:

https://ras.football/2019/12/27/deforest-buckner-ras/

https://ras.football/2019/12/27/darius-leonard-ras/

Although I can say that I wish Ballard had put more stock into this RAS score:

https://ras.football/2020/01/11/matt-pryor-ras/#:~:text=That%20correlates%20to%206%20feet,9.83%20 score%20out%20of%2010.0.

If you run Buckner as a DT, his score is 8.22

https://ras.football/ras-information/?PlayerID=12493&pos=DT&wu=&ovl=

He tests poorly as a DE because he would only be a DE in a 2 gap 34. He's very athletic as a DT, which is his natural spot.

As for Leonard, everyone knows his 40 time was with a pulled hamstring, so are the agility times (3 cone and shuttle, both well below average for a LB), he gets docked for his size, and his explosion numbers are still elite. Reading into it a little, you can easily explain both of those.

[AlwaysSunnyinIndy]

There's plenty of good players with high RAS scores, but there's a ton of them with really low scores as well. Including these 2:

https://ras.football/2019/12/27/deforest-buckner-ras/

https://ras.football/2019/12/27/darius-leonard-ras/




IIRC - Leonard injured his quad before the combine and then pulled a hamstring while running his 40. So his results were a bit worse than if he had been fully healthy. Although maybe those injuries were signs of things to come??

Anyways, the Colts knew that Leonard was battling injuries during the combine and individual workouts and that his performance was not at 100%.

[IndyNorm]

If you run Buckner as a DT, his score is 8.22

https://ras.football/ras-information/?PlayerID=12493&pos=DT&wu=&ovl=

He tests poorly as a DE because he would only be a DE in a 2 gap 34. He's very athletic as a DT, which is his natural spot.

As for Leonard, everyone knows his 40 time was with a pulled hamstring, so are the agility times (3 cone and shuttle, both well below average for a LB), he gets docked for his size, and his explosion numbers are still elite. Reading into it a little, you can easily explain both of those.

There's a lot more than just those 2. For example: Will Shields and Larry Allen, who are arguably the 2 best OGs of all time had scores of 6.52 and 3.83 respectively. Ed Reed had a 6.54. Antonio Brown had a 3.85. DeAndre Hopkins 4.94. Kam Chancellor 3.22. Dalvin Cook 4.65. Tarik Gleen 1.48. Ceedee Lamb 7.44.

Anyway, there's probably more greens than reds and yellows on that list of Pro Bowlers, but nowhere near as many as you'd think.

[AlwaysSunnyinIndy]

Jake Witt's season is over - he has been placed on IR due to a hip injury.

Witt is the second rookie of this year's class to be placed on IR, joining 5th Round draft pick Daniel Scott (torn ACL).


https://twitter.com/RomeovilleKid/status/1687883144815329280

Colts say they have put OT Jake Witt, who has been out with a hip injury, on IR.

His rookie season is over before it begins.

[ChaosTheory]

I hate when these old player threads pop back up. Never a good story. Full season hip sounds scary.

[AlwaysSunnyinIndy]

Full season hip sounds scary.


Not trying to minimize this injury, but it is a convenient way for the Colts to shelter him / keep him for the year.

It was extremely likely that Witt was destined for the practice squad - and any team could have poached him during the season.

Hopefully he can recover from the injury and then work on strength and conditioning to get ready for next year.

[ChaosTheory]

Not trying to minimize this injury, but it is a convenient way for the Colts to shelter him / keep him for the year.

It was extremely likely that Witt was destined for the practice squad - and any team could have poached him during the season.

Hopefully he can recover from the injury and then work on strength and conditioning to get ready for next year.

Fair point. Although... didn't they change it so that a few practice squad guys could be locked up so another team can't sign them?

I meant to mention that both OT's are going to need time, so the team wouldn't necessarily feel it this year anyway. He can still work on the mental part at least, but nothing substitutes being out on the field. Always feel bad for the young guys that go out like that.

[AlwaysSunnyinIndy]

Although... didn't they change it so that a few practice squad guys could be locked up so another team can't sign them?



Teams can protect up to 4 practice squad players each week....but it really only provides protection on a per game basis.

The protection starts each week on Tuesday but then concludes at the end of that week's game.

So there is a window of time with no protection and when all practice squad players can be poached - from the end of that week's game to Tuesday.