Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
The Indianapolis Colts selected Miami Hurricanes wide receiver Phillip Dorsett with pick No. 29 overall in the 2015 NFL Draft last night. It was a major surprise to their fanbase, which was expecting their team to help bolster the defense with their first-round pick. Dorsett joins an already crowded depth chart at the wide receiver position and will have to earn his way onto the roster in his rookie season.
The immediate reaction has been mostly negative about the Colts’ pick. While Dorsett may end up becoming a dominant receiver at some point, he isn’t the type of player the Colts need this season to take them over the hump.
It was apparent that the Colts needed to improve their defense during their AFC Championship game loss to the New England Patriots. They didn’t stand a chance against LeGarrette Blount and the running game, and there were a few players who could have helped that area of the Colts’ defense. Malcom Brown was there and ended up going to the Patriots with the No. 32 overall pick, and safety Landon Collins was also there for the Colts to select to shore up their secondary.
Ryan Grigson doesn’t have the best history of first-round picks, which doesn’t make this selection any easier for the Colts. He has whiffed on players like Bjoern Werner and of course the trade of last year’s first-round pick for running back Trent Richardson. Those two blunders have left the Colts and their fans with a sour taste in their mouth.
Dorsett is a very intriguing prospect, however, and is a very similar player to current Colts wide receiver T.Y. Hilton. He stands at 5-foot-10 and weighs in at 185 pounds. Needless to say, he is a speedster with a blazing 4.33 40-yard dash.
During his senior season with the Hurricanes, Dorsett ended up catching 36 passes for 871 yards and 10 touchdowns. Those aren’t the most dominating numbers at the wide receiver position, but the 24.2 yards per catch average is impressive.
Andrew Luck led the Colts to having the NFL’s top passing offense last year, and they added former Houston Texans star wide receiver Andre Johnson in free agency. Dorsett is now in a wide receiver group that includes Johnson, Hilton, Donte Moncrief and Duron Carter. All of those receivers are more than capable of making a difference on the field, although Dorsett is seen as more than just a wide receiver.
Indianapolis is moving on from Josh Cribbs as their kick and punt returner, and that could be an area that Dorsett can make a difference in.
Another thing for Colts fans to think about is that Johnson doesn’t have a ton of time left in his career. He signed a three-year deal this offseason, and that would give the Colts time to bring Dorsett along and develop him. Hilton will also be looking for a new deal in the near future, and Dorsett could be insurance just in case something unexpected happens.
While disappointment in the pick may be warranted, Dorsett is a great football player. He has a place with the Colts in the future, and it is way too early to write him off as a bad pick. Grigson may not be the best GM when it comes to the draft, but this pick has a lot of potential to work out in his favor.
Expect to see Dorsett prove the Colts right for giving him a chance and taking him in the first round.
