Colts projected to land trade for super talented tight end

The Colts have been predicted to select the NFL Draft’s best prospect at tight end—who recently won the John Mackey Award again and is an elite positional prospect.

Bowers is going to be tricky to place in mock drafts. The talent suggests he should be a top-five pick, but the debate about positional value could push him down as far as the Colts at No. 15.

The listed 6’4,” 240 pound junior tight end caught 56 receptions for 714 receiving yards (12.8 ypr. avg.) and 6 touchdown receptions during 10 starts—earning unanimous All-American First Team honors and the John Mackey Award (the latter for a consecutive season).

Bowers is regarded as a high character player with sure hands, explosiveness, and athleticism, who could be a dynamic mismatch over the middle of the field for 2nd-year quarterback Anthony Richardson—providing him a big-time security blanket at the pro ranks:

The Colts don’t currently have a dire need at tight end, pending Jelani Woods is over his season-long significant hamstring injuries. However, it’s still a positional room that as of now, still lacks an elite playmaker—which the offense collectively needs more of.

At 6’7,” 253 pounds, and a 4.61 forty time, Woods figures to be the closest thing, or at the very least, a big bodied red zone threat given his sheer size and deceptive speed combo.

Otherwise, similarly massive Mo Alie-Cox is more utilized for his blocking than as a receiver and could be a potential veteran salary cap casualty ($5.92M) this offseason. 4th-year tight end Kylen Granson seems like a nice complementary piece, but the splash plays haven’t been consistent enough. Drew Ogletree has serious legal charges against him and looming questions regarding his NFL future. Lastly, rookie tight end Will Mallory showed some late season flashes as receiver, but needs to improve his blocking to become more of a complete and regular player out there.

There’s no question that Bowers would provide the Colts a true difference-maker at the position and in time, could prove to become one of the best tight ends in pro football.