Colts Darius Rush Primed for Big Role in 2023

The looming suspension for cornerback Isaiah Rodgers Sr has paved the way for this fifth round rookie to see some serious playing time in 2023.

The Indianapolis Colts' cornerback room is about to get a lot thinner, as news broke recently that Isaiah Rodgers Sr is under investigation for placing a "pervasive" amount of bets over the past year. If he is found to have done this, his future with the Colts (and with the NFL) is in serious jeopardy.

While we await the official news on that investigation, we have to turn our attention to this Colts' cornerback depth chart. Even if Rodgers Sr were to factor into the group, the roster is quite thin and inexperienced at this position. Veteran cornerback Kenny Moore II is expected to remain in the slot while rookie second round pick Julius Brents should be penciled in as a starter on the outside.

With those two roles locked in (for the most part), that leaves the other starting outside cornerback position wide open for the other players on the depth chart. Unless the Colts sign a veteran free agent to take over that spot, this is a prime opportunity for rookie Darius Rush to make some noise in training camp.

Rush, 23, is a former wide receiver that switched over to corner during his sophomore season at South Carolina. He slowly earned a role for the team and settled in as a starter over his final two seasons with the Gamecocks. In those two seasons, Rush allowed just 34 receptions on 70 targets (48% completion percentage) while coming up with 14 pass break-ups and three interceptions.

These numbers are extremely impressive for an SEC cornerback, but Rush really made his mark in the NFL world during this past offseason. Standing in at 6'2" 198 pounds, Rush ran a blazing 4.36 second forty yard dash at the 2023 NFL Combine. He also shined at the Senior Bowl back in January, earning praise from the director of the event on multiple occasions:

Prior to @seniorbowl, NFL scouts liked South Carolina’s Darius Rush but most questioned his speed.

Rush proved doubters wrong w/ fastest max speed in Mobile (21.65 mph) & 4.36 official at Combine.

Checkout mirrored footwork here. Definition of “running the route” for the WR. 🥶 pic.twitter.com/5yZaFZm3Uf

— Jim Nagy (@JimNagy_SB) March 13, 2023

While Rush did slip all the way to the fifth round of the NFL Draft, multiple teams did consider him earlier. A source told me that the Arizona Cardinals were set to draft him at pick 72 if Garrett Williams (the player who they ultimately ended up taking) was off the board. Colts' General Manager Chris Ballard also said that the team considered him in round four before ultimately going in another direction:

It kind of worked out, like Darius Rush we really liked. I mean, he’s an athletic, long corner – kind of fits our profile. A converted wideout so he’s got ball skills. He can play the deep ball. He’s kind of a guy that we had even talked about taking him in the fourth, but then ended up taking the tackle and the d-tackle.

Rush ended up slipping all the way to the 138th pick in the draft, which isn't a rare spot for former wide receiver converts when it comes to this position. Tariq Woolen, a Pro Bowler in 2022, slipped to the 153rd pick last season despite an elite athletic profile. Future Hall of Famer Richard Sherman famously fell to pick 154 after starting his college career as a wide receiver.

This isn't to say that Darius Rush will be as good as either of those players, but it does show that some talent can slip through the cracks (particularly with this mold). Rush has a rare skillset, which is what is typically found in all day three steals.

The buzz that I am laying out for Rush right now isn't completely unfounded either. I've heard from multiple people around the team that Rush was clearly one of the best overall players in rookie minicamp this offseason, and he has turned some heads in OTAs as well. Defensive Coordinator Gus Bradley had this to say about Rush just recently:

He’s good at the line of scrimmage, has got tremendous speed and he’s a student of the game. Just in that short time that we were with him, he seemed to pick up things pretty quick.

Darius Rush carrying the vertical route and then playing through the hands to get the PBU pic.twitter.com/RH7UmTGbX1

— Zach Hicks (@ZachHicks2) June 7, 2023

Darius Rush may not end up being the next star corner found on day three, but he is going to have every opportunity in the world to become that player for the Colts. He is currently in line for a healthy dose of playing time as a rookie, which is rare for a player of his draft status.

As long as he can hold off any free agent additions and other players on the roster in camp, Darius Rush is going to get valuable experience in year one. Can he emerge as a steal this season? Only time will tell.

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