The Colts need blue chip talent on defense, and it isn’t easy to come by those kinds of players when you’re picking 29th in the draft. If you want to find one without a high draft pick, you’re generally going to need to take a chance on a player that will require some development. Throughout the draft process, I have been calling for the Colts to draft players like this. High ceiling players that are safe picks, ready to step in and contribute on day one are rare and are usually taken early in the 1st round. Drafting players with a high ceiling and a low floor is how good teams add great players, despite picking from a pile of leftovers every round. It looks like the Colts may have found one such player in 4th rounder Clayton Geathers.

While the team has some solid starters on defense, the Colts only have one player that is truly a core guy you can build a defense around. For a team with multiple blue chip talents, adding solid starters in the draft is great, as they have their mainstays in place. A team like the Colts, however, should try to swing for the fences and take a chance on players that have low floors with the potential to become blue chip pieces. There will be more busts, but there may be more stars as well. In a draft class short on Safeties ready to start from day one, it was important that the Colts have the flexibility to let a prospect develop. Fortunately, the Colts have filled the starting Safety roles with veteran players, which will afford Geathers time to acclimate to the NFL game.

The first thing that stands out when you watch Clayton Geathers is his size. Geathers has the build of a legit NFL Strong Safety. At 6’2” and 218 pounds, with a frame to add weight, he is an imposing figure in the secondary. If any player comes across the middle of the field, Geathers is capable of laying punishing hits on them. Of course, punishing hits usually mean the player isn’t wrapping up and finishing the tackle, and Geathers is certainly guilty of that. This is clearly a strong blow against a Quarterback, but in the NFL, there will be Running Backs, Tight Ends, and Wide Receivers that are capable of shaking off the hit and gaining more yards.

Joaquin said Dominate

Do not be mistaken by that weakness though, Clayton Geathers is actually a pretty good tackler. Geathers boasts a wingspan of nearly 77” and it shows up repeatedly on tape. Despite his arm length at the Combine being average, he looks like he has very long arms when he plays and he shows the ability to reach out and drag down ball carriers.

Bigger reach than the Patriots saying he meant weight loss Deflation

No man, he’s gone. He’s dead, let him go

Geathers is aggressive when he plays, roaming all over and always anxious to get into the mix. This is a good trait for a Safety and gives him an edge over less aggressive and instinctual Safeties. Geathers wastes little time after diagnosing plays; when he sees the opening, he attacks downhill.

Surprise Motherfucker

hey whered he go

He may not be agile enough to play Cornerback and mirror routes, but Geathers shows good coverage instincts, and for a man his size, he is quickly able to recover when trailing a receiver. Geathers has great ball skills, as evidenced by having the most Pass Break Ups of any Safety in the class. He has a knack for knocking down passes, and once again, his length is a huge benefit that allows him to make plays many Safeties wouldn’t be able to.

What Would Tim Howard Do

Tim Howard Would Prob Do This TBH

Sometimes, Geathers can take bad angles, which Colts fans are very familiar with, thanks to two years of watching LaRon Landry. This is part of his game which will need to be developed. When he takes a poor angle, it usually isn’t a terrible one, but it is just bad enough to cause him to miss the tackle. These bad angles are a concern, but it seems like an issue that can be corrected.

#LaRoning

#MeatAndPotatoes

The Colts frequently move their Safeties and demand the versatility to be able to play both Free and Strong Safety. This is an area where Geathers excels, as he was frequently used in the box (both in man coverage and in run support), but he was also used in deep coverage often. Geathers is typically labeled purely a box Safety, but he shows underrated range and coverage skills, and should be able to do it all at the next level. There will be some development required with Clayton Geathers, but he has the physical tools and instincts to become a very talented Safety.

In order to take the next step as a team and become a championship caliber roster, the Colts need to add youth on defense and add another blue chip player or three. In an earlier piece, I expressed the belief that they have already added one in Henry Anderson. When you watch Clayton Geathers play, it is easy to see the potential he could reach, possibly bringing another core piece to the defense. The Colts just may be capable of building that monster after all.

Handsome Rating®: 6/10

I was honestly expecting much worse. Pleasantly surprised.