INDIANAPOLIS – The Colts stayed right in there own backyard of Indianapolis with their Round 2 pick on Friday night.
With the 44th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Colts took Kansas State cornerback JuJu Brents in Round Two.
This selection was a multiple trade back by the Colts first moving from 35 to 38, while getting the No. 141 overall pick from the Raiders. This gave the Colts four picks in Round 5 this year. And then the Colts traded back 6 more spots to No. 44 with the Falcons, netting a 4th rounder at No. 110 overall.
Here are 3 takeaways on Brents:
1. Long, Long Cornerback
Brents had an eye-popping Combine from a wingspan, short-area quickness and jumping standpoint. This combo of frame/testing numbers is what Gus Bradley covets at the cornerback position. At 6-3 and 198 pounds, Brents will enter a depth chart lacking any sharpie-d in options as an outside cornerback. Something to note on Brents, he did have a couple of knee injuries in college. A wrist injury will likely sideline Brents until training camp. Brents said he prides himself on his intelligence and liked the nickname of ‘JuJu Island.’
2. Local Product Comes Home
Brents was at the Colts Pro Day earlier this month, getting inside the building of his favorite NFL team (with Bob Sanders as his favorite player growing up). A Warren Central High School product, Brents began his college career at Iowa before transferring to Kansas State. When seeing Brents at the local Pro Day earlier this month, his sheer size stood out as a guy with the frame that looks like a safety or even a linebacker. Shane Steichen had a long conversation with Brents that afternoon, who did not workout due to his wrist injury. Brents started 5 games as a true freshman at Iowa, before injuries stunted things there. He transferred to Kansas Sate in 2021, starting all 27 games he played there. Brents is known as a sound tackler. He had 8 passes defensed and 4 interceptions in his final season.
3. Major Position Of Need
Outside of quarterback, no Colts position had more depth chart questions entering the draft than cornerback. You have them both in the short-term and the long-term, with the departure of Stephon Gilmore being the biggest individual loss this offseason. In past years, the Colts have typically found a veteran cornerback in free agency, but that hasn’t been the case this offseason, hence the need for draft attention here. Brents could/should challenge for early playing time as an outside cornerback.
