On the Clock: Indianapolis Colts

For the next six days leading up to the draft, I am going to assume the role of each NFL general manager and make draft picks based upon need, scheme, and in some cases wants.  I will not make any trades throughout this process but will chime in when I think one is needed.  Each day leading up to the draft I will make a pick and summarize my thought process of why certain teams will go a particular way.  So put this blog in your favorites section and check back daily to see who I will select for each team.  With the 22nd pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, the Indianapolis Colts select…

Nate Solder, OT, Colorado (6’8” 320 lbs)



"Trunk"



I had already shown my hand on what our top priority was before the draft when I admitted that we should have taken a offensive tackle last season.  With that said, everyone knows that we are taking an offensive lineman with our first round pick.  We have way too many holes along the offensive line and to get the most out of Peyton we need to take Solder.  He is the type of tackle we can take and put at the blindside for the next 9 or 10 years.

"Trunk" is a great blocker that will excel in pass protection and can be a mauler along the O-line.  He is very tall and lean so I think we can actually add about 10 lbs to his frame while keeping him at the same level of athleticism.  He is a little raw due to poor coaching, but will learn a lot more at the NFL level.

In the second round I am going to look for safety Rahim Moore or cornerback Ras-I Dowling.  Our pass defense has been horrid the last two years, but one of these guys can drastically help where our team is now and get us to where we want to be.

Philadelphia is on the clock…