Which draft pick has performed the best for the Colts general manager
The Chris Ballard era has been a rocky ride since 2017, with a 62-69-1 season record and a 1-2 playoff record. Ballard has amassed a lot of draft picks over the years, so let’s break down which picks were his best.
Here are the best players from each draft, based on the amount of time with the team and their impact over that time. While some players not chosen had high peaks, it’s more important to focus on the length of time spent with the team.
2017 — Grover Stewart (DT)
2018 — Quenton Nelson (OG)
2019 — EJ Speed (LB)
2020 — Jonathan Taylor (RB)
2021 — Kwity Paye (DE)
2022 — Bernhard Raimann (OT)
2023 — Josh Downs (WR)
2024 — Laitu Latu (DE)
Of that group, it’s best to eliminate Downs and Latu as they are too young to evaluate. It’s also best to eliminate Speed and Paye as they are not in the same territory as the others so that leaves Grover Stewart, Quenton Nelson, Jonathan Taylor and Bernhard Raimann.
Grover Stewart
Stewart has been a staple inside along the defensive line and his presence is missed when he’s not in the lineup. He eats up two gaps and is tough to stop one on one. Him and Buckner make linebackers’ lives easy as their gap eating abilities free up lanes and holes for linebackers to attack inside. Stewart has not made a Pro Bowl or All Pro, but it’s tough to make those teams as a nose tackle, hence the reason why there have only been a handful of nose tackles who have gotten those honours over the last decade. Stewart is a quality player and was tremendous value in the 4th round.
Quenton Nelson
Since being drafted in 2018 with the 6th overall pick, Nelson has been one of the best guards in the NFL. As an added bonus, the Colts traded down to get Nelson and they were able to acquire Braden Smith, Kemoko Turay and Rock Ya-Sin, so in my opinion, that trade was easily the best move of Ballard’s career.
Nelson is a multiple time All Pro and a Pro Bowler in every season of his career, all while only missing 4 games in 7 years. While guards are not usually taken early, Nelson has been worthy of the top 10 pick. He is an incredible strong pass protector and has developed into a versatile run blocker who can win in a phone booth or pull and destroy defensive backs in space. When he gets a head of steam, there have been many players who intentionally avoid Nelson to avoid injury or embarrassment. He is a player that teams circle every week and the Colts haven’t had many of those since the Manning era ended.
Jonathan Taylor
I’m always hesitant when a running back is taken early, but Taylor has been quite a hit, despite the injuries. He adds an explosive element when he’s in the lineup and he is a great bellcow who can eat 25 carries a game with ease. He’s had 3 incredible seasons with the Colts with his two other ones marred by injury. At his best, he’s a top 3-4 running back in the league and with a fully healthy season he could win the Offensive Player of the Year award. Running backs are generally replaceable, but the Colts with him versus without him is very noticeable so this has been a great pick.
Bernhard Raimann
While young and only entering his 4th year with the team, Raimann’s impact has been large. He’s become a top 10 left tackle in the game and has been a steady presence on the left side since he showed massive improvement after his rookie season. He’s been the first reliable left tackle since Anthony Castonzo and could end up being the best left tackle the Colts have had since Tarik Glenn over 20 years ago.
Final Verdict: Quenton Nelson
Nelson remains the gold standard of the Ballard era, but Raimann is closing in on him (assuming he signs a 2nd contract). Jonathan Taylor might be running out of quality years but a few more top notch seasons and he can have a strong case too. Nelson has been most consistent in terms of his availability, hence the reason why I choose him over Jonathan Taylor and his consistent impact is higher than that of Grover Stewart.