GREAT READ : Breaking Down Colts Draft Film With Chris Ballard

[Chromeburn]

Another thing about Smith, they ran a lot of RPO at Auburn and he is great at blocking for it. We will see in incorporated into our O. I wonder who the three tech is? Ridgeway, Johnson, Autry or Lewis?

[Dam8610]

Originally Posted by Chromeburn

Another thing about Smith, they ran a lot of RPO at Auburn and he is great at blocking for it. We will see in incorporated into our O. I wonder who the three tech is? Ridgeway, Johnson, Autry or Lewis?

Wasn't there talk that they might try Grover Stewart there?

[Maniac]

Ballard says the Colts haven’t found the ideal 3-techinque (defensive tackle) for their new 4-3 defense.

They had one they could have taken a chance on in Hurst and didn't do it. I know the medical issue, but he played without any issues in college. It was worth taking the chance there to get the perfect guy for that position late in the draft.

[VeveJones007]

Originally Posted by JesusChrist

They had one they could have taken a chance on in Hurst and didn't do it. I know the medical issue, but he played without any issues in college. It was worth taking the chance there to get the perfect guy for that position late in the draft.

Listened to Stick to Football pod this morning. 6-7 teams told Matt Miller the severity of Hurst's heart issue and that they don't think he should ever play football again.

[sherck]

Originally Posted by Chromeburn

Another thing about Smith, they ran a lot of RPO at Auburn and he is great at blocking for it. We will see in incorporated into our O. I wonder who the three tech is? Ridgeway, Johnson, Autry or Lewis?

Looking at the D-Line bodies the way I see it:

NT = Al Woods, Grover Stewart
Both have shown good 1st step quickness in order to get into a gap before engaging. Both can accept the double team and ground rather than get put on skates. Neither are pass rush experts so they both fit the 1-tech NT well.

DT = Hassan Ridgeway, Marcus Hunt, Caraun Reid, Tomasi Laulile, Anthony Johnson
None are going to be great 3-tech DTs but Ridgeway, Reid, Laulile and Johnson all have the college experience at the spot and all have the right body types for it. Reid had a solid year at it in 2015 (29 tackles, 5 TFL, 2.0 sacks in 14 games) with Detroit prior to tearing his ACL early in 2016 and then starting his bouncing around the league. Hunt? If Anderson is not good for this defense then I have no ideal why Hunt is still on the roster either.

DE[Flex] = Denico Autry, Tyquan Lewis
Plays DE at the 7/8/9-tech on suspected running plays and kicks inside replacing the NT on suspected passing downs. I know that Ballard said in his interview that he sees Lewis as a possible future 3-tech DT but I don't know that he meant that as a full-time guy or just during passing downs or not as a rookie. I look at Lewis and I don't see a full time 3-tech body.

DE[Rush] = Jabaal Sheard, Terrell Basham, Kemoko Turay
Plays DE pretty much as a 9-tech and is playing the run on the way to the QB. Sprinting towards the QB on every play.

My guess at a final roster if set today:

DE[Rush] = Sheard, Basham, Turay
NT = Woods, Stewart
DT = Ridgeway, Reid
DE[Flex] = Autry, Lewis

Who is not on that list that Ballard said was moving to DE? John Simon.

No room for him anywhere. His only postion, IMO, is DE[Rush] and that spot is too crowded. I think he is moving "back' to SSLB because that is still where I see his skill sets.

Walk Worthy,

[Puck]

After reading this it looks to me like he did not reach for players in the way he grades them.

Obviously his BPA is different than the draft pundits.

I just hope he is right.

[Maniac]

Originally Posted by Puck

After reading this it looks to me like he did not reach for players in the way he grades them.

Obviously his BPA is different than the draft pundits.

I just hope he is right.

Well the thing is, the way he worded it, he doesn't care what other teams do or have guys ranked at, but then he goes on to say that he is sure that Turay would have been drafted in the next 10 picks. That means they do care what other teams do and where they have guys ranked and that Ballard is mainly being political here.

I wonder if Ballard is still getting a feel for the draft process and if he's reaching at times even though he doesn't think he is.

BPA is not real. They all draft based on a mix of where they rank the players combined with their team's needs/goals.

[VeveJones007]

Originally Posted by JesusChrist

Well the thing is, the way he worded it, he doesn't care what other teams do or have guys ranked at, but then he goes on to say that he is sure that Turay would have been drafted in the next 10 picks. That means they do care what other teams do and where they have guys ranked and that Ballard is mainly being political here.

I wonder if Ballard is still getting a feel for the draft process and if he's reaching at times even though he doesn't think he is.

BPA is not real. They all draft based on a mix of where they rank the players combined with their team's needs/goals.

The way he worded the Smith pick made me feel like BPA is not the only factor. "Last guard with a starting grade" makes me think he wanted to ensure that he got a 2nd OL.

[Maniac]

Originally Posted by VeveJones007

The way he worded the Smith pick made me feel like BPA is not the only factor. "Last guard with a starting grade" makes me think he wanted to ensure that he got a 2nd OL.

Yep, it's always a mix of need with the grades they have on the players.

[FatDT]

As complicated as everyone wants to make it, it's simple. Ballard has an overall vision for the team. He has an idea of what the team needs, this year and future years, to be successful. And so with that vision in mind he values players a certain way, and picks the best player for his team, his vision. It is not some sort of objective Madden score where he'll pick an 84 TE over an 81 DE when his vision demands an upgrade at the DE position and not TE. For Ballard, the BPA in that situation is the DE.

It is clear from Hankins and Anderson that scheme fit matters a lot to Ballard, so he is not going to pick a great player that doesn't do well the things he wants that position to do.