Colts Targets: 5 Biggest Winners From TE/DB Workouts

These five Indianapolis Colts targets stood out big time in their workouts on Friday.

The Indianapolis Colts are looking to get more explosive on both sides of the ball.

Defensively, they began an overhaul of their secondary last offseason after declaring that they needed to get younger. As a result, we saw them take three cornerbacks throughout the 2023 NFL Draft (two remain with the team), but it's unlikely that they are done working on the position.

Injuries to Dallis Flowers and JuJu Brents showed that this group can be vulnerable without another quality contributor or starting-level player. While they could address this through free agency, the Colts have already established a youth movement at cornerback.

On the offensive side of the ball, the Colts are missing something in the passing game. Whether it be someone who can create yards after the catch or someone who can take the top off of the defense, the offense needs more chunk plays.

With the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine in town and the defensive backs and tight ends completing their field workouts on Friday, the Colts got a long look at players who could contribute to the team's future.

Here are five winners from the second day of Combine workouts to keep an eye on for the Colts:

Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo

Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

While Terrion Arnold is widely considered the top cornerback in the draft, a few others, including Mitchell, are still vying for that honor.

After dominating his way through the Senior Bowl at the end of January, Mitchell arrived in Indy at the Combine and measured slightly bigger than Arnold (6001/195 vs. 5118/189), much faster (4.33 vs. 4.50), and just as explosive. Overall, Mitchell's RAS (Relative Athletic Score) of 9.75 puts him third among cornerbacks in the 2024 draft.

Arnold is still likely to be picked within the first dozen selections of the first round and seems like a top-20 lock, but don't be surprised if there's consideration for Mitchell to be the top cornerback selected.

Both players fit what Colts defensive coordinator Gus Bradley and defensive backs coach Ron Milus look for in a cornerback.

Cam Hart, CB, Notre Dame

Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

If you caught the episode of the Locked On Colts podcast featuring Shaad McGinnis and myself following the Senior Bowl, McGinnis described Hart as a corner who was made in a lab for Bradley and Colts general manager Chris Ballard.

Hart did quite well down in Mobile, showing stickiness in coverage by staying in receivers' hip pockets, as well as tenacity at attacking the ball. He followed it up with a solid performance at the Combine, measuring at a terrific 6'3", 202 (the Colts drafted three corners with nearly identical measurements last year) as well as 33" arms. He then ran a 4.5-second 40 with a 39.5" vertical and 10'10" broad jump. His athletic scores (9.12 RAS) show a player with great size and good athleticism, verifying what we saw on tape which is a long, traitsy corner who could develop into a solid player. Sound familiar? 

Hart's background as a former wide receiver-turned-cornerback will continue to help him in the NFL as he understands what his opponents may do. 

Theo Johnson, TE, Penn State

Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

This isn't the strongest tight end class we've seen. After the blue-chip Brock Bowers, you get the likes of Johnson, Ja'Tavion Sanders, and a bunch of guys who somewhat blend into the crowd.

Johnson is doing his part to make himself the second tight end off the board, however. He, too, had a big week in Mobile, notching himself as the top tight end at the Senior Bowl. At the Combine, his RAS of 9.99 is among the best all-time (Colts' Jelani Woods tied for first at 10.00).

Johnson already had the ideal size at 6'6", 259 with 33" arms and 10.25" hands, but then he ran a 4.58-second 40 (1.55 10-yard split), with a 39.5" vertical and 10'05" broad jump. While he isn't necessarily a YAC king, Johnson is plenty capable of making big plays in contested catch situations, and his scores reflect that.

The Colts may not be itching to add another tight end unless it's someone like Bowers, but if they want to continue to draft traitsy players like they did last spring with Will Mallory, then Johnson immediately makes the tight end room more interesting.

Khyree Jackson, CB, Oregon

Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Yet another player who had a positive showing at the Senior Bowl, Jackson turned heads with his measurables at the Combine.

After running a 4.5 with a broad jump of 11'1", the 6'4", 194-pound corner posted a terrific 9.70 RAS.

Jackson is a confident, chatty player both on the practice field and on gamedays, and his excellent blend of size, length, and athleticism makes him a great fit with Bradley and Milus, especially considering he can be difficult to get past in the screen and outside run game with further development.

Elijah Jones, CB, Boston College

Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Jones measured at over 6'1", 185 pounds, with 31-1/2" arms, which likely leaves him lighter and slightly less lengthy than what the Colts might normally want, but he's plenty explosive after running a 4.44 with a 42.5" vertical and 10'11" broad jump.

His 9.74 RAS ranks fourth among this year's corners.

On the field, he's disruptive at the point of attack and aggressive at attacking the ball, which alongside his physical traits makes him an intriguing mid-round option for the Colts who could provide special teams value at worst. 

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