Draft Profile: Clelin Ferrell’s Backfield-Wrecking Style Would Fit In With Colts

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FIT WITH THE COLTS


Now, as to why Ferrell could be available at No. 26 rather than being selected within the first half of the round where some project him to go.


This draft has some blue-chip prospects from the edge. Nick Bosa and Josh Allen both seem to be top-five locks, while Brian Burns could go in the top 10 as well. Rashan Gary and Montez Sweat are also very intriguing prospects who would be deserving of coming off the board early.


Coming into the Combine, many rankings had Gary slightly behind Bosa and Allen, with Ferrell, Burns and Sweat lumped into their own group. Gary, Burns and Sweat then proceeded to have excellent Combine testing, which came on the heels of Sweat dominating the Senior Bowl as well.


Ferrell's measurements went well at the Combine. However, his on-field testing was just average. This may have been due in part to a toe injury that also kept him from participating in Clemson's pro day.


Those other players blowing up the pre-draft process may have set them ahead of Ferrell on some teams’ draft boards, meaning he could go a little later in the first round than many expect.


Enter the Colts, who consider the pass rush a cornerstone of their team and would likely not be in position to pass over a potential Pro Bowl-level pass rusher.


The Colts did recently sign veteran free agent pass rusher Justin Houston, but that doesn’t seem likely to stop them from continuing to add to their pass rush.


Their philosophy is to shoot for eight-starting level players along the defensive line and to send players at the backfield in waves. In other words, they can never have too much of a good thing.


To have Jabaal Sheard and Houston in the first wave followed by Kemoko Turay and Ferrell would give them advantage through all four quarters. It would also allow 2018 second-round pick Tyquan Lewis to kick inside more often where the Colts would like him.


While the cupboard appears to be stocked at defensive end for the Colts currently, it could look differently in a year or two if reinforcements aren’t added.


Houston is 30 right now, Sheard will be 30 in May and Margus Hunt (who also plays inside) will be 32 in July. Sheard, Houston, Hunt, Denico Autry and Al-Quadin Muhammad will all be due to hit free agency within the next two years as well.


Ferrell is an ascending prospect, partially evidenced by his increase in stats every year, and he hasn’t even hit NFL coaching, nutrition and strength and conditioning programs yet.