Javon Kinlaw, South Carolina Gamecocks. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)
The Indianapolis Colts have a massively important offseason ahead of them. Here is their latest 2020 NFL mock draft. Who do they end up taking this year?
Few teams have as much of an opportunity to get better this offseason than the Indianapolis Colts. They are swimming in cap space, poised to make a few big runs at top-tier players hitting the free-agent market. The Colts also have eight picks to get better with in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Indianapolis has four picks in the first 100 of this spring’s draft, including two in the second round. We can trust general manager Chris Ballard to make wise decisions in the day-two part of the draft. However, the Colts’ best pick in this draft comes in at No. 13. They may be in the market for a starting quarterback, but would have to trade up to get a tier-one signal-caller.
Fortunately, this is a deep draft at several positions, especially out on the edge and at wide receiver. Indianapolis will be able to address many of its key offseason needs in this draft. Primary needs are at quarterback, along the defensive line and out on the edge. Secondary needs are at offensive tackle, wide receiver and guard. Safety, running back and linebacker are also needs.
With the draft creeping ever closer, let’s take a look at the latest 2020 NFL mock draft for the Colts.
First Round
13
Javon Kinlaw
DL South Carolina Gamecocks
One player who has climbed up draft boards of late and would be ripe for the Colts picking at No. 13 would be South Carolina Gamecocks defensive end Javon Kinlaw. Entering the Senior Bowl, the First-Team All-SEC player would have been a target for teams picking in the 20s. Throughout the draft process, he has ascended to a spot where the Colts could end up landing him at No. 13.
Kinlaw is 6-foot-6 and 310 pounds. After having initially gone the junior college route, Kinlaw exhausted his last three years of collegiate eligibility starring on the South Carolina defensive line for Will Muschamp. He leaves Columbia with 82 career tackles, 17 for a loss of yardage and 10 sacks of the quarterback. Kinlaw was an impactful player starring on bad South Carolina teams.
He improved every year in school. Though he only played in 29 games during his time in the SEC, keep in mind South Carolina didn’t go to a bowl game last season. In the midst of a terrible year for South Carolina football standards, Kinlaw was one of the few bright spots on an otherwise bad team.
If Kinlaw is half as good as former South Carolina State Bulldogs linebacker Darius Leonard has been for them, then this will be a tremendous selection for the Colts. We haven’t seen the best football out of Kinlaw at this point. Perhaps his best years are ahead of him on his rookie contract with the Colts?