With the 2017 class in the books, the next stop in the Chris Ballard draft review series is 2018, which remains the class that built much of his reputation in Indianapolis.
After a shaky first draft in 2017, Ballard followed it up with one of the best draft classes the Colts have had in a long time… maybe ever. It produced multiple long-term starters, two first team All-Pro players, a franchise offensive line cornerstone, a useful offensive weapon, and one of the best seventh-round picks of his tenure.
It was not perfect by any means as there were misses and a couple of second-round picks did not become what the Colts hoped they would become. However, when a draft class gives you Quenton Nelson, Shaquille Leonard, Braden Smith, Nyheim Hines and Zaire Franklin, it is hard to view it as anything other than a major success.
Round 1, Pick 6: Quenton Nelson, G
This was a slam-dunk pick!
The Colts traded back from No. 3 to No. 6 and still landed the player who, in my opinion, was the best overall prospect in the entire draft. At the time, Andrew Luck was still on the roster and entering what ended up being his final season. After years of injuries and punishment, protecting him had to be one of the franchise’s biggest priorities.
Nelson immediately changed the tone of the offensive line. Since being drafted, he has been a staple and anchor of the Colts’ front. He became a multiple-time All-Pro, a perennial Pro Bowl player, and one of the best guards in football. More than that, he became one of the defining players of the Ballard era.
Taking a guard sixth overall will always create some positional value debate, but Nelson justified the pick. He was elite early, stayed elite, and became a Colts legend.
Grade: A+
Round 2, Pick 36: Shaquille Leonard, LB
Leonard’s Colts career was short compared to how it started, but at his peak, he was one of the best defensive players in football.
He won Defensive Rookie of the Year, made three All-Pro teams, and for a stretch, there was a real argument that he was the best linebacker in the NFL. His ability to force turnovers was special. He punched the ball out and forced turnovers at a high rate, had exceptional sideline-to-sideline speed, made plenty of big plays in coverage, and gave the Colts a defensive star almost immediately.
The problem is that his decline came almost as quickly as his rise.
Injuries derailed his career, and he only lasted around five and a half seasons with the Colts. For a second-round pick, the production was incredible, but the longevity was shorter than expected. That is the only thing keeping this from being an A+.
Still, the Colts got elite play out of Leonard, even if the window closed faster than anyone wanted.
Grade: A-
Round 2, Pick 37: Braden Smith, OT
Smith became a very quality right tackle for the Colts and was a consistent force on the right side of the offensive line for several years.
He was originally drafted as a guard, but the Colts moved him to tackle, and it worked. His pass protection was probably closer to average and could be inconsistent at times, but his run blocking was superb; that was always the strength of his game. He could move people, create lanes, and give the Colts a reliable presence at right tackle.
For years, there really was not much of a question on the right side of the line because Smith was there. Any time you draft a second-round player who becomes a long-term starting tackle, that is a major win.
Grade: A-
Round 2, Pick 52: Kemoko Turay, EDGE
Turay was the clear miss of the draft.
He was not completely invisible in the same way some other Colts draft busts have been, but the impact was minimal. He finished with 12 sacks in 38 games over four seasons with the team, and injuries played a major role in keeping him from becoming a consistent contributor.
A healthy Turay probably could have developed into a decent rotational pass rusher as the flashes were there at times. He had burst, bend and traits that made him an interesting player, but the availability and production never lined up.
For a second-round edge rusher, the Colts needed a lot more.
Grade: D
Round 2, Pick 64: Tyquan Lewis, DL
Lewis is an interesting one to grade because he stuck around for a long time and did give the Colts useful snaps.
His best trait was his versatility. He could line up in different spots, which provided depth across the defensive line, and that gave the coaching staff flexibility. He spent many years with the team and was a useful rotational piece.
The issue is that he never became much more than that. For a second-round pick, “quality depth for a long time” has value, but it is nothing to get overly excited about. You usually want a second-rounder to become a clear starter or a real impact player. Lewis never reached that level, but he also was not a wasted pick.
He provided value. Just not enough value for where he was drafted.
Grade: C+
Round 4, Pick 104: Nyheim Hines, RB
Hines was a very good fourth-round pick.
For four and a half years, he was a fantastic receiving running back and a reliable weapon the Colts could use in space. He was not a traditional workhorse, but that was never his role. His value came as a pass catcher, change-of-pace back, and punt returner.
He gave the Colts a different element offensively and became one of the better receiving backs in the league during his time in Indianapolis. He also added great value on special teams, which makes the pick even stronger.
For a fourth-round selection, getting multiple years of offensive and special teams production is a quality return. He was useful, productive, and later still had enough value to be traded.
Grade: B
Round 5, Pick 159: Daurice Fountain, WR
Fountain did not become anything meaningful for the Colts.
He played mostly on special teams, had very little offensive impact, and only lasted a handful of games across two separate seasons with the team. Fifth-round picks do not need to become stars, but the hope is that they at least carve out some kind of role.
Fountain never did and the impact was minimal… the pick did not work.
Grade: F
Round 5, Pick 169: Jordan Wilkins, RB
Wilkins was not a major hit, but he was not a bad fifth-round pick.
He did not last a long time with the Colts, but he provided quality running back depth and had some nice moments when called upon. He was efficient in limited work and gave the team a useful backup option for a few seasons.
That is fine value in the fifth round. You are not expecting every player in that range to become a long-term starter. If a fifth-round running back gives you some productive snaps and depth value, that is acceptable.
Grade: C-
Round 6, Pick 185: Deon Cain, WR
There was a lot of hype around Cain, especially from Colts fans and analysts, but it never really made much sense to me.
He had some traits people liked, but injuries got in the way early and he never panned out once he actually got on the field. He played only a few games with the Colts and did not provide any real value.
For a sixth-round pick, expectations are not high, but this still did not work.
Grade: F
Round 7, Pick 221: Matthew Adams, LB
Adams was a good seventh-round pick.
He never became a major defensive player, but he provided quality depth and became a useful special teams contributor. He played four years with the Colts, which is already a win for someone taken that late.
With seventh-round picks, the bar is different. You are looking for players who can make the roster, contribute in a specific role, and stick around. Adams did exactly that.
You cannot ask for much more from that draft slot.
Grade: B-
Round 7, Pick 235: Zaire Franklin, LB
Franklin is one of the best late-round picks of the Ballard era, if not the best late-round pick.
He gets a lot of criticism from fans, and some of it has been fair at different points, but the draft value is undeniable. For a seventh-round pick to become a quality starter, team captain, and tackling machine is a massive win.
Franklin spent eight years with the Colts, started 82 games, and became one of the leaders of the defense.
Finding a long-term starter and captain in the seventh round is a home run.
Grade: A+
Final Grade: A
This was the draft class that truly established Chris Ballard’s reputation as a talent evaluator.
At the top, the Colts found foundational players. Quenton Nelson quickly became one of the league’s best guards and a franchise icon, while Shaquille Leonard reached elite status as one of football’s most disruptive linebackers during his prime. Braden Smith gave Indianapolis stability at right tackle for years, and Nyheim Hines carved out an important role as both a receiving threat and dynamic returner. Even deeper into the draft, the Colts uncovered real value with Zaire Franklin, who developed from a seventh-round pick into a team captain and long-term starter. Matthew Adams and Jordan Wilkins also contributed meaningful depth during their time with the team.
Not every pick worked out, of course. Kemoko Turay never developed into the impact pass rusher the Colts hoped for, and although Tyquan Lewis became a useful rotational player, he never fully justified his second-round selection. Deon Cain and Daurice Fountain offered very little production overall.
Still, no draft class is perfect. What separates this group from most is the sheer amount of high-end talent combined with the number of players who became legitimate contributors. Finding multiple All-Pro caliber players in one class is rare enough on its own. Adding a long-term starting tackle, a productive offensive weapon, and a seventh-round leader on top of that is what makes this one of the defining drafts of the Ballard era.
