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INDIANAPOLIS – The Colts tapped into a position always on the needs list in Round 6.
With the 211th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Colts took Wagner defensive end Titus Leo in Round Six.
Here are 3 takeaways on Leo:
1. Raw, New Pass Rusher
Many times when you get these smaller school picks they enter the NFL with tons of production. But that’s not really the case with Leo. As he transitioned into a full-time defensive end, Leo only had 13 sacks at Wagner (40.0 tackles for loss), as a 2-year edge player. But Leo’s impressive physical build and athleticism helped earn him an invite to the East-West Shrine Bowl. It was there where he helped put himself on more of an NFL radar. Leo is 6-3, 245 and ran a 4.69 in the 40-yard dash. He was a two-time captain at Wagner. Like E.J. Speed in 2019, Leo played all over the field, both sides of the ball, before finding a home for the NFL.
2. Day 3 Hope
These types of picks are littered all over Round 6 and 7 of a draft. It’s a small school kid, with some nice traits that you are taking a chance on. And that’s especially true when you are talking about teams always looking for edge rushing help. Samson Ebukam is the new LEO rusher in Gus Bradley’s defense, with Yannick Ngakoue now gone. For a Colts connection, Leo joins fellow Wagner product Chris Williams as just the 4th player from the school to play in the NFL. This is the Colts throwing a Day 3 small-school dart at a position that you never totally ignore.
3. Never Overlook Edge
In typical, and understandable, Chris Ballard fashion, the Colts are throwing another dart at the edge rushing position. Anytime a team spends a pick in trying to address pass rush, it shouldn’t’ be viewed as a waste. The Colts 2023 depth chart might look pretty set at this spot, but the desire to get an effective edge rusher has seen a lot of misses in recent years. That doesn’t mean you stop trying though.
