One expert thinks that the Indianapolis Colts adding an Indiana Hoosiers star in the upcoming NFL Draft is better in theory than in practice.
The Indianapolis Colts have been reinvesting in their offense this offseason, re-signing critical players Daniel Jones and Alec Pierce in free agency.
However, there are a pair of players they've traded away in the last several months that they have yet to replace in wide receivers Michael Pittman Jr. and AD Mitchell. Pittman has been the leader of the Colts' receiver corps for several years now, and Mitchell was drafted to eventually be the next in line.
Now, the Colts need someone to develop in Mitchell's place, but also to immediately help fill the void in the offense left by Pittman.
A popular fan theory around the state is that the Colts should replace Pittman in the upcoming NFL Draft with Indiana University receiver Elijah Sarratt. Both players are known as tough, reliable possession types with sure hands who move the chains.
NFL draft insider Tony Pauline also recently fanned the Sarratt-to-Indy flames.
"Sources said that not only would Sarratt be a perfect replacement [for Pittman]," Pauline said, "But it would be a homecoming of sorts, as the wideout has been a terrific receiver for the Indiana Hoosiers the past two years and was a big part of the offense that propelled the program to the national title last season."
The idea caught the eye of Bleacher Report's lead draft analyst, Brent Sobleski. He recently assigned a "BS Meter" rating to several pre-draft rumors, including Sarratt potentially replacing Pittman. Sobleski said the rumor targets the right position but the wrong target for the Colts.
"Sarratt does provide a big-bodied, reliable target, particularly on money downs and within the red zone," Sobleski wrote. "However, he's not as big, long or explosive as Pittman entering the professional ranks.
"[Chris] Ballard likes his uber-athletes. Georgia State's Ted Hurst, Ole Miss' De'Zhaun Stribling and North Dakota State's Bryce Lance fit that mold, while being able to do some of the things previously asked of Pittman as well. Plus, their upside is far higher, which could be important for the Colts since they don't own a first-round pick."
While Sarratt is a good prospect in this draft who is stylistically similar to Pittman, Sobleski is right: More than likely, the Colts will use this opportunity to add more juice to the receiver room by selecting someone with decent size and even better athleticism than Pittman, as they did with Mitchell.
The Colts currently hold seven picks in this year's draft, but GM Chris Ballard has repeatedly stated that they would like more.
The first round (in which the Colts don't hold a pick) gets underway on Thurs., April 23 at 8:00 p.m. ET. Day 2 begins on Fri., April 24, at 7:00 p.m. ET, and Day 3 is on Sat., April 25, at 12:00 p.m. ET.