NFL Insider Selects Colts' Pick as Favorite of Entire Draft

ESPN NFL Insiders were asked to select their favorite pick of the entire NFL Draft, and the Indianapolis Colts get a nod.

With over 250 picks in the NFL Draft, selecting just one favorite among the lot is a tough task. ESPN asked its NFL Insiders to do just that, and fantasy football analyst Stephania Bell selected the Colts' Bernhard Raimann as her favorite selection.

OT Bernhard Raimann to the Colts at No. 77. The Colts upgraded at quarterback this offseason by way of Matt Ryan, but the offensive line is still a work in progress and critical to his success, given that he's not exactly fleet of foot. Matty Ice has been below league average when pressured over the past three seasons in TD rate, interception rate and sack rate. And just last year, the Colts allowed pressure at the seventh-highest rate (32.1% of dropbacks). So the 6-foot-6, 303-pound Raimann -- who had the mobility to play tight end -- was a huge value pick in the third round and will continue to develop at the position. - Stephania Bell, ESPN

The Colts traded back in the second round and added the No. 77 pick that they used to select Raimann. That was a shrewd piece of business by general manager Chris Ballard to upgrade the wide receiver position with Alec Pierce and add a potential starting offensive tackle.

Ballard has been getting plenty of plaudits from the talking heads after the draft. Pro Football Focus also named Raimann the best fit of any offensive tackle selected in the draft.

It's no surprise then that the Colts' personnel in the scouting department have been getting looks around the league. It was reported yesterday that northeast area scout Mike Derice was hired by the New York Giants as a national scout, per Neil Stratton of Inside The League. 

Also, Colts director of college scouting Morocco Brown is expected to interview with the Philadelphia Eagles for "a high-ranking executive position," per Geoff Mosher of Inside the Birds.

Despite not having a first-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Colts have still come off as winners on paper. With Pierce, Raimann, and tight end Jelani Woods taken in the NFL Draft, and a measly third-round pick for Ryan, it will definitely be a new-look Colts offense in September.