Stephen Holder

IndyStar

Draft grades assessed before actual draft picks play a solitary NFL snap are premature, to say the least.

But the voracious appetite for analysis persists, so we in the media dutifully produce opinions on each team’s haul with nothing more to go on than names on paper.

That said, first impressions can be telling. So, let us reflect on some of those initial takeaways from the Indianapolis Colts’ 2015 draft, most of which weren’t especially kind.

At Yahoo.com, they said: “We understand adhering to a best-player-available philosophy, which GM Ryan Grigson clearly does, but we question some of (these) picks. The defense bolstered its depth, but there isn’t an obvious 2015 starter in this crew.”

At si.com, they opined: “Sure, sticking to an approach of taking the best player available is generally advisable. The Colts, though, believe they are on the brink of a Super Bowl berth, and it's hard to argue the (Phillip) Dorsett pick got them closer than an upgrade on defense would have.”

Over at NFL.com, they offered: “Cornerback D’Joun Smith, defensive end Henry Anderson and safety Clayton Geathers are expected to step into the rotation as young players. Although each is viewed as a developmental prospect…”

Now that it’s a year later and we actually have something to go on, a much different picture is emerging.

Like this: The 2015 draft was the Colts’ best since their stellar 2012 class that produced Andrew Luck, T.Y. Hilton and Dwayne Allen.

For Grigson and coach Chuck Pagano, that first draft set a high bar. But after humdrum drafts in 2013 and '14, the Colts put together quite the rally with 2015’s collection of talent.

“We talk about the 'abilities' all the time. Reliability, accountability and availability and that’s what those guys are to a T,” Grigson said. “They’re all football playing sons of guns. They love the game. They’re going to produce at a consistent level despite their age, and they’re just dialed in.

“The bright lights aren’t affecting them.”

Let’s explore the compelling reasons last year’s draft was one of the Colts’ best in recent years.

>> Finally, young talent on 'D'

We can praise that 2012 draft effusively, and rightfully so. But the one thing we cannot say is that it provided any long-term defensive building blocks. The idea was to build offensively around Luck, their rookie quarterback, and the Colts did that with great success.

But as the years passed, the calculated decision to lean more toward offense caught up with the Colts. It’s why they have had one of the NFL’s oldest defenses the past couple of seasons.

Enter Anderson, Geathers and David Parry.

That trio gave the Colts what they have not had at any point in the Grigson/Pagano era: a young group of defenders who could be long-term building blocks on that previously neglected side of the ball. Third-rounder Anderson and fifth-rounder Parry were starters from day one. Geathers was the third safety but is in line to be the starter at free safety this season. Getting three defensive starters from one draft – none picked earlier than the third round – is one heck of an achievement.

According to the Colts’ scouting department, only six 2015 third-round picks and three fifth-round picks started eight or more games as rookies. Anderson and Parry started nine and 16 games, respectively.

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>> They actually did need a WR

Selecting speedy receiver Dorsett in the first round might be a move that is never fully embraced by Colts fans, no matter how much he develops.

But, in hindsight, that pick is about to pay off – even if in a way the Colts never intended. They rolled the dice on signing aging receiver Andre Johnson, a widely-celebrated move in the spring of 2015. But, as is possible with all free agent signings, the move was a failure. Now, Johnson’s gone and the Colts – without Dorsett – would have been left with zero receiving depth beyond starters Hilton and Donte Moncrief.

Instead, Dorsett adds a unique dimension (speed!) and makes this group a trio that could keep defensive coordinators awake at night.

There’s an old adage espoused by smart football people that goes something this: Keep your strengths your strengths. Maybe that was the Colts’ logic all along.

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>> Colts need players like Geathers

A fourth-round pick from Central Florida, Geathers played mostly a part-time role in 2015. But despite starting just two games (there were two tenured veterans ahead of him), Geathers displayed a trait that the Colts lacked: He’s an enforcer.

Put simply, you do not want to be hit by Geathers. We know this after one season of watching the hard-hitting safety strike ball carriers in his trademark fashion. Remember the way Falcons running back Devonta Freeman started fast against the Colts in last season’s meeting in Atlanta? That didn’t last long. Geathers knocked Freeman out of the game in the first quarter with a bone-jarring hit that left Freeman concussed.

Certainly, the goal is not to hurt opponents. But Geathers provides a quality that is a necessary evil in football. He might not be the Colts’ best defensive player. But he just might be their most fearless.

“I’m excited for his future,” Pagano said.

>> Project might pan out

The Colts, like all teams, often look for “project” picks in the late rounds. Think Ulrick John in the 2014 seventh round, or Chandler Harnish in the seventh round in 2012. Neither of those picks panned out in a meaningful way, which is hardly worthy of condemnation.

But 2015 seventh-round pick Denzelle Good is inspiring real confidence around Colts headquarters. He has positioned himself to make a run at the starting right tackle job this season. Already, he’s the only seventh-round choice to start a game under the current Colts regime.

No less an authority than owner Jim Irsay said recently of the Mars Hill (N.C.) product, “We really like what we’ve seen so far. We don’t see why he can’t be a starting right tackle or guard in this league. If he continues on that path, it’s going to be a great draft pick.”

Well said.

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>> Patience paid off

It’s important to remember the context surrounding last year’s draft. The Colts had just been destroyed (again) in the playoffs by the New England Patriots. The wounds were fresh. The weaknesses were evident. The Colts needed to toughen up on defense, and the draft needed to reflect that stark reality.

The Colts, according to a team source, considered several defensive players with their first-round pick. And then … picked Dorsett?

But here’s the thing: The Colts, hesitant about the defensive players available in their range of the first round (Pick No. 29) and unable to swing a trade to move down, went with their gut and selected the highest-ranked player on their board. They’d wait to address their defensive needs, hoping their calculations were wise.

As we now know, the Colts did just fine in dealing with their defensive needs later on, giving them the best of both worlds. They got both a player they coveted and managed to beef up their defense with some much-needed talent.

So, yeah, the 2015 draft wasn’t half bad for the Colts. But there’s no time for taking bows.

The 2016 draft gets underway Thursday. Come back to this space next year and we’ll let you know how it all turned out.

Follow IndyStar reporter Stephen Holder on Twitter: @HolderStephen.