It was revealed on the most recent “Hard Knocks” episode from HBO that the Colts’ tried to trade up with the New York Giants in this past April’s draft, attempting to move from 15th overall to sixth overall.
The #Colts offered No. 15, No. 46, and a 2025 2nd to move up to No. 6 with the #Giants in April's draft. GM Joe Schoen wouldn't move back that far.#Jets also made a call, but their offer wasn't shown.
My guess: Colts wanted Bowers. Jets wanted Odunze. pic.twitter.com/zAl2VloYv5
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) July 31, 2024
The trade package that the Colts’ offered were picks 15, No. 46 in the second round, and their 2025 second-round pick. Giants’ GM Joe Schoen would decline, not wanting to move that far back. The Giants ended up selecting LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers.
“We had some serious, serious discussions,” said Ballard after the draft. “Yes. With big offers, by the way. So we made a push. It just didn’t–you got to get two to tango, man. Nobody was moving.”
The Colts, of course, ended up selecting UCLA pass rusher Laiatu Latu at pick 15–the first defensive player off the board.
Latu was one of college football’s most disruptive pass rushers the previous two seasons, totaling 60-plus pressures and double-digit sacks each season.
“I thought we got a little lucky on it,” Ballard said. “We thought there were four or five really elite players, and he was one of them. We felt fortunate to get him.”
In addition to bolstering their pass rush, given that the Colts also had a need for more playmaking on offense, and that they felt Latu was the best defensive player in the draft, it’s a safe guess that Ballard wanted to move up for one of the top receivers remaining, either Nabers or Rome Odunze, or perhaps tight end Brock Bowers was on their radar.
As Joel Erickson of the Indy Star noted, had this trade gone through, the Colts wouldn’t have drafted Latu, AD Mitchell, Anthony Gould, Jaylin Simpson or Micah Abraham.
The Colts ended up trading the 46th pick to move back to pick 52 to take Mitchell and also accumulated picks 142 (Gould) and 155. Pick 155 was then used to trade back to 164, where the Colts took Simpson, while also netting pick 201 (Abraham) in the process.
