Phil Friend

phillip.friend@indystar.com

There has been plenty of shuffling at the top of the NFL draft, with the Titans-Rams and Browns-Eagles trades at the top of the board.

Ultimately, those trades have very little effect on what the Colts plan to do with the No. 18 pick in next Thursday's NFL draft. But that hasn't stopped prognosticators around the Internet from changing up their predictions on who the Colts will take. Let's take a look around, shall we?

Pro Football Focus has a player rising up the draft boards ending up with the Colts at No. 18 - Kansas State guard Cody Whitehair. In the second round, Louisiana Tech defensive lineman Vernon Butler; in the third, UCLA halfback Paul Perkins. Writes PFF on Whitehair:

Whitehair is far and away the best guard in the draft, and an immediate upgrade to the Colts’ interior offensive line. He’s got very few, if any, negatives to his game, allowing just 21 pressures combined the last two years. His technical ability is superb, as he nearly always puts himself in the perfect position to make a great block.

Last week, Todd McShay's mock said the Colts would take West Virginia safety Karl Joseph. Not anymore. McShay now has the Colts selecting Ohio State offensive tackle Taylor Decker - a recurring theme throughout this article.

After failing to protect Andrew Luck last season, the Colts must come out of this draft with a more solidified offensive line. Decker would be a great place to start. He's a perfect fit at right tackle, Indy's biggest need, and has one of the highest floors of anyone in this draft.

ESPN.com's Mel Kiper, Jr., likes Decker in the first round and also makes predictions for the second and third round: USC linebacker/safety Su'a Cravens and Penn State defensive tackle Austin Johnson.

I have offensive line as a need if I'm the GM here, and Decker makes sense at No. 18. He played both left tackle and right tackle for Ohio State, and while you don't assume he's going to simply come in and lock down the left side, I'm drafting with idea that I can't go wrong by adding O-line help. It's all about getting better in front of my franchise player both in the running game and in pass protection.

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NFL.com's Lance Zierlein flipped Ohio State allegiances, going away from cornerback Eli Apple to Decker.

Decker can step right into the starting right tackle spot and immediately improve the Colts' run blocking and overall talent. While I'm not as high on Decker as others, he's solid and solid is what the Colts could use in the trenches.

His NFL.com colleague Charles Davis is also on the Decker bandwagon.

Andrew Luck's really tough 2015 is over (thankfully for him and the Colts), but in order to try to avoid a repeat, the Colts will add this tough Buckeye to the lineup.

A third writer over at NFL.com, former NFL general manager Charles Casserly, keeps with an Ohio State theme, opting for Eastern Kentucky defensive end Noah Spence. Spence played at Ohio State before transferring due to some off-field troubles.

They need to improve on their pass rush.

Decker is clearly a favorite, as NFL.com's Bucky Brooks also has the Colts taking the Ohio State lineman.

Protecting Andrew Luck is the Colts' top priority after watching the team fail to make the playoffs without their leader under center.

The other half of NFL.com's "Move the Sticks" podcast, Daniel Jeremiah, leads toward Apple.

The Colts miss the run on offensive linemen, and elect to upgrade the secondary over reaching for a second-tier blocker.

CBSSports.com's Dane Brugler sees Spence helping the Colts pass rush.

The Colts need to address their mediocre pass rush, and as long as they are comfortable with his character, Spence would be terrific value at this pick.

CBSSports.com NFL columnist Pete Prisco prefers a different pass rusher, Alabama defensive tackle A'Shawn Robinson.

They need to get stronger up front. Robinson is a power player who would hold the point.

The NFL writer at CBSSports.com, Will Brinson, also likes Robinson.

The Colts have to get bigger and more physical on both of their lines. The big man from Alabama takes care of the defensive side of the ball initially and will help them get better against the run as well.

A fourth writer at CBSSports.com, Rob Rang, sticks with his pick from last week, Alabama center Ryan Kelly.

The top priority in Indianapolis must be protecting Andrew Luck, and that starts up the middle. New offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski and offensive line coach Joe Philbin are looking for more athletic offensive linemen and Kelly possesses the strength, agility and pro-ready game to boost the Colts' play at any of the three interior positions.

Walter Football introduces a new potential name to the mix: Baylor defensive tackle Andrew Billings.

Many expect the Colts to select an offensive lineman here, such as Taylor Decker or Ryan Kelly. They definitely could, but a defensive lineman is very likely as well. Indianapolis expressed a desire to upgrade the nose tackle spot entering the offseason, but thus far, nothing has been done about it. Andrew Billings could be considered a better prospect than Decker or Kelly, and thus, the pick at No. 18.

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USA TODAY Sports' Nate Davis likes the Colts to get an outside pass rusher - Georgia OLB Leonard Floyd.

It's imperative that GM Ryan Grigson safeguards franchise QB Andrew Luck in light of last year's debacle. But with no blockers worthy of this pick, Grigson could solve his other obvious problem spot: pass rusher.

Forbes is even in on the mock draft game, as Michael Schottey goes outside the circle, with the Colts moving up to No. 13, trading with Miami and selecting Louisville DT Sheldon Rankins.

Indianapolis moves up to nab Rankins who has developed a “draft twitter” cult following thanks to similarities to Rams DT Aaron Donald. Rankins is a bit smaller than most teams might like, but he wins consistent matchups inside, and that’s something the Colts haven’t done much of in a very long time.

And what does SI.com's Chris Burke think? He hasn't bailed on the popular pick a week ago - Michigan State OL Jack Conklin.