Did the Colts get value? Grading Indianapolis’ draft picks against the big boards

Jalen Farmer, OL, taken 113th overall

• 123rd by ESPN
• 99th by NFL Mock Draft Database
• 95th by Daniel Jeremiah (NFL.com)
• 88th by PFF
• Outside top 100 (125–150 range) by Andrew Aziz Farmer lands right around where he was expected to go. Some boards had him inside the top 100, while others pushed him into the mid-Day 3 range. The Colts essentially split the difference here. It’s not a steal, but it’s a reasonable pick with some slight upside depending on which board you trust more. **Fair / Slight Value**

Bryce Boettcher, LB, taken 135th overall

• 151st by ESPN
• Outside top 100 by NFL Mock Draft Database
• 102nd by Daniel Jeremiah (NFL.com)
• 135th by PFF
• 115–130 range by Andrew Aziz Boettcher feels like a true “board match” selection. There’s some variance in rankings, but most projections land him in this general range. The Colts didn’t reach, but they also didn’t steal one here. It’s a steady, logical Day 3 pick. **Fair**

George Gumbs Jr., EDGE, taken 156th overall

• 166th by ESPN
• Outside top 100 by NFL Mock Draft Database
• Outside top 150 by Daniel Jeremiah
• 211th by PFF
• 175–225 range by Andrew Aziz Gumbs is maybe the only pick that leans toward a reach. Most boards had him going later, some significantly later. It’s not egregious at this point in the draft, but the Colts clearly valued him more than the consensus. This is a traits-over-consensus type of selection. **Reach**

Caden Curry, EDGE, taken 214th overall

• 164th by ESPN
• Outside top 100 by NFL Mock Draft Database
• Outside top 150 by Daniel Jeremiah
• 189th by PFF
• 175–225 range by Andrew Aziz Curry sits right in the range where late-round picks tend to flatten out. Some boards had him a bit higher, others closer to where he was taken. There’s no strong argument either way. This is a fine depth pick with reasonable value. **Fair**

Seth McGowan, RB, taken 237th overall

• 182nd by ESPN
• Outside top 100 by NFL Mock Draft Database
• Outside top 150 by Daniel Jeremiah
• 127th by PFF
• 200–250 range by Andrew Aziz McGowan trends slightly toward value, mainly because PFF and ESPN were higher on him than where he ultimately went. My board had him closer to this range, so it balances out a bit. Still, getting him near the end of the draft gives the Colts a low-risk upside play. **Value**

Deion Burks, WR, taken 254th overall

• 81st by ESPN
• 100th by NFL Mock Draft Database
• 70th by Daniel Jeremiah (NFL.com)
• 78th by PFF
• 31st by Andrew Aziz Burks is the outlier in the entire class. Every major board had him as a Day 2 player, some even higher. Getting him at 254 is borderline absurd from a value standpoint. When a player falls this far, there are usually underlying concerns, but strictly based on rankings, this is one of the biggest steals of the draft. **Big Value**