This is the first instalment in a series reviewing every Colts draft class of the Chris Ballard era, starting with his first class in 2017.
Chris Ballard’s first draft class with the Colts was a strange one.
At the top, it was ugly. The Colts missed badly on several premium picks, including a first-round safety, second-round cornerback, third-round defensive end and early fourth-round tackle. That alone should drag down the grade significantly.
But the class was not completely lost because Day 3 produced
three useful players, including one of Ballard’s best picks as Colts general manager.
Round 1, Pick 15: Malik Hooker, S
Hooker is a tough player to evaluate because there were flashes, especially early. His rookie season started about as well as possible, with three interceptions in seven games and a real presence on the back end of the defense. For a short stretch, it looked like the Colts might have landed a true playmaking safety.
The problem is that it never fully came together. Injuries derailed his rookie season and his fourth year, and his two healthy seasons were fine, but not special. For a first-round pick, especially one taken 15th overall, “fine” is not enough. Hooker had his moments, but his overall impact with the Colts was limited, and the team did not re-sign him after his rookie contract.
That is usually the cleanest line of failure for a first-round pick. If a player does not earn a second contract with the team that drafted him, something went wrong.
Hooker actually became a better and more reliable player after joining Dallas, which only adds to the frustration. There was talent there, but the Colts never got enough of it.
Grade: C-
Round 2, Pick 46: Quincy Wilson, CB
This was a brutal pick.
Wilson struggled to stay on the field, was a healthy scratch far too often, and never became a reliable contributor. For a second-round cornerback, the expectation is that he at least develops into a starter or meaningful rotational player. Wilson never got close to that level in Indianapolis.
He did not make it beyond his rookie contract, had little impact, and quickly became one of the bigger misses of Ballard’s early tenure. There is no need to overcomplicate this one.
Grade: F
Round 3, Pick 80: Tarell Basham, DE
Basham was another major miss.
The Colts drafted him in the third round, and he barely lasted two seasons with the team before being waived. That simply cannot happen with a top-100 pick. Third-round picks do not need to become stars, but they need to become contributors. Basham did not become one in the slightest.
He later found some life elsewhere, but with the Colts, he was a completely and total bust. When a player cannot even make it through two full seasons with the team that drafted him, the grade is obvious.
Grade: F
Round 4, Pick 137: Zach Banner, OT
Banner was one of the worst picks of the class, which is saying something.
He was a massive offensive tackle with obvious size, but he did not even make the roster as a rookie. That can happen with late sixth- or seventh-round picks, but it should not happen with an early fourth-round pick.
The Colts used a real asset on a player who gave them nothing. Banner eventually carved out a role elsewhere, but that does not help Indianapolis.
Grade: F
Round 4, Pick 143: Marlon Mack, RB
Mack was the first legitimately good pick of the class.
He was not a long-term answer, and his peak did not last very long, but for a fourth-round pick, the Colts got real production. Mack gave the offense juice, had two strong seasons, and was a very useful player before injuries changed the direction of his career.
That is a win for the draft slot because you do not need every fourth-round pick to become a core player for eight years. If a Day 3 running back gives you multiple productive seasons, that is solid value.
Grade: B-
Round 4, Pick 144: Grover Stewart, DT
This was the best pick of the draft by a mile.
Stewart developed into one of the most important players on the Colts’ defense and remains a major piece of the roster years later. He is a true force as a 1-technique, one of the best run-stuffing defensive tackles in football, and the kind of player who makes life easier for everyone around him.
He does not always get the attention because his role is not flashy, but his impact is obvious. He eats space, controls the middle, occupies blockers, and opens lanes for linebackers to make plays.
Finding a long-term defensive cornerstone in the fourth round is exactly how teams build properly. Alongside DeForest Buckner, Stewart has helped give the Colts one of the best interior defensive line duos they have had in decades.
This was an outstanding pick.
Grade: A+
Round 5, Pick 158: Nate Hairston, CB
Hairston was a fine fifth-round pick. He gave the Colts some useful depth, started some games, and had a few solid moments before eventually moving on to the Jets. He was never a long-term answer, but that is not really the expectation in the fifth round.
For that range of the draft, getting a couple of useful seasons from a depth corner is acceptable. It was not a home run, but it was not a bad pick either.
Grade: C
Round 5, Pick 161: Anthony Walker, LB
Walker was a very good fifth-round pick.
He became a quality player for the Colts, started games, tackled well, and brought a steady presence to the middle of the defense. He was not the most dynamic linebacker, but he was smart, physical, dependable and effective in the box.
His presence was missed after he left, and he went on to earn a solid contract with Cleveland, where he continued to be a useful player before injuries slowed him down.
For a fifth-round pick, that is strong value. Any time you find a multi-year starter and productive defensive player that late, it deserves a good grade.
Grade: B+
Final Grade: C-
This draft class is hard to grade because the top and bottom tell completely different stories.
The first four picks were bad. Hooker flashed but never became the long-term player the Colts needed. Wilson was a complete miss. Basham was an awful bust. Banner didn’t even make it to game 1!
What a horrendous start to the draft!!!
But luckily Day 3 kept the class from being a full disaster. Mack gave the Colts two productive seasons. Walker became a quality starting linebacker. Stewart became one of Ballard’s best picks and is still impacting the team years later.
Without Stewart, this class is probably an F. With him, Mack and Walker, it climbs into to a bad but passing grade.
The final grade lands around a C-. The Colts found some real value late, but missing that badly on the premium picks makes it impossible to call this class anything better than below average.
