Knowing what we all know now, how would things shake out differently for the Indianapolis Colts in a 2024 redraft of the first round?
Well, ESPN’s beat reporters for each team recreated the first round of the 2024 NFL draft and made their selection based on how the season played out.
So for the Colts, instead of drafting Laiatu Latu at 15th overall, Stephen Holder had them taking cornerback Quinyon Mitchell.
As Holder mentions, the decision to take Mitchell over Latu is less about Latu and more about Mitchell just being that good and cornerback being a major need.
In his rookie season, Mitchell allowed a completion rate of only 55%, just 10.5 yards per catch, with two interceptions and 10 pass breakups.
At pass rusher, Latu finished second on the team in pressures with 38 and steadily won his matchups, ranking 29th among all defensive ends in PFF’s pass rush win rate metric.
There’s a lot to like about the growth Latu showcased as the season progressed and where his game is headed.
However, the overall impact that Mitchell provided the Eagles’ this season was far greater, and again, at a position for the Colts where they really struggled, a player of Mitchell’s caliber at cornerback would have provided a big boost.
“Latu was hardly a bad pick for the Colts,” wrote Holder. “But given the lack of depth and top-end talent in the secondary, they arguably would have gotten more impact from Mitchell, a skilled cover man.”
