There was only one Pro Day attended by both Indianapolis Colts general manager Ryan Grigson and Colts coach Chuck Pagano.

It was Alabama's on March 9.

The reason they were both there? Ryan Kelly, the former Tide center whom Indianapolis selected in the first round of the NFL draft last week (No. 18 overall).

The Colts had targeted Kelly "for months" leading up to the draft, Grigson told reporters in Indianapolis during a news conference last week.

For more than a decade, Indianapolis had star quarterback Peyton Manning and Pro Bowl center Jeff Saturday. Now, it's pairing Kelly with its current star quarterback, Andrew Luck.

"I kind of equate it to the relationship that Peyton and Saturday had for 170 or whatever games. Whatever that was," Pagano told reporters. "So, Lord willing and the creek don't rise, the same thing can happen."

A three-year starter at center for Alabama, the 6-foot-4, 310-pound Kelly was a consensus first-team All-American as a senior last season.

He also won the Rimington Trophy, given annually to the nation's top center.

Grigson and Pagano both talked to Tide coach Nick Saban at Alabama's Pro Day.

Grigson was on one side of Saban. Pagano was on the other. Each asked about Kelly.

The feedback from Saban was "excellent," Grigson said.

It was from offensive line coach Mario Cristobal as well.

"His offensive line coach (Cristobal) is a really passionate guy, and really, really just glowed about him," Grigson said. "... The trust really came through when he was talking to us and to me about just that trust level they had with Ryan, like in any kind of scenario -- even if they had to throw him out there at left tackle -- they felt that kind of trust with him, even at that level vs. those types of other players in that monster conference they play in."

The Colts, Grigson said, had identified center as their "only glaring need."

They've now filled it with Kelly, who didn't allow any sacks last season and helped pave the way for Heisman Trophy winner Derrick Henry to rush for 2,219 yards and 28 touchdowns.

A reporter asked Pagano last week: What do you like about Kelly?

"What don't I like about him?" Pagano said. "You check off all the boxes with this guy."

Grigson called in all of Indianapolis' scouts last Thursday prior to the start of the draft. He asked each to vote for the player they thought the Colts should take with their first round pick.

"His name," Grigson said of Kelly, "was on there more than anybody."