Source: Icon Sportswire / Getty
INDIANAPOLIS – The Colts played their rookies a good amount in 2024.
Laiatu Latu and AD Mitchell had rotational roles on a weekly basis. Offensive linemen Matt Goncalves and Tanor Bortolini combined for 13 starts off the bench. And even Day 3 pick Jaylon Carlies was needed a decent amount, when healthy. Plus, don’t forget about the starting stretch from undrafted free agent Dalton Tucker.
With that, let’s examine the 2024 rookie outlooks:
- DE-Laiatu Latu: Rookie rushers often times have pretty ho-hum stats. And that’s a fair way to describe Latu’s rookie campaign as the 15th overall pick. Latu finished his rookie season with 4.0 sacks, 12 quarterback hits, 23 pressures, 3 forced fumbles, and 5 tackles for loss. Latu actually led the Colts in pressures. He hit a bit of a rookie wall though as his playmaking really dimensioned late in the season.
- WR-Adonai Mitchell: It was a rough rookie season for AD Mitchell. Sure, he had moments of being open, but the reliability was largely absent. Mitchell caught 23 of his 55 targets. That is a 41.8 percent catch percentage. Of the NFL’s 158 wideouts with at least 10 targets last season, Mitchell ranked 149th in catch percentage. Flashes of Mitchell creating separation offer second-year hope, but actually finishing off more plays is a must area of growth.
- OL-Matt Goncalves: After some uncertainty on where Goncalves would fit positionally at the NFL level, he was needed to start at both left and right tackle in 2024. His starting debut came in Week 9 at left tackle, and was needed over there for two more games. He then started the final 5 games of the season at right tackle, with Braden Smith (personal) away from the team. Right tackle appears to be Goncalves’ more comfortable spot.
- OL-Tanor Bortolini: Injuries to Ryan Kelly led to the Colts turning to Bortolini for 5 starts in 2024. At one point late in the season, Bortolini was healthy to start for an injured Kelly, but the Colts decided to stick with Danny Pinter in the lineup. Still, Bortolini appeared to have a nice rookie debut, when his number was called. A starting role could very well be there in 2025, with Ryan Kelly, 31, heading for free agency.
- WR-Anthony Gould: Gould was benched in early September but eventually earned his return job back and actually had some nice moments late in the year. The benching spanned all of October and November for the 5th round pick. Gould ended up playing 8 games, playing just 15 offensive snaps the entire year, and 72 on special teams.
- LB-Jaylon Carlies: While an injury took Carlies off the field for multiple months, he ended up starting 6 games, playing a decent role behind Zaire Franklin/E.J. Speed. How the Colts project Carlies in his second NFL season could have a huge impact on Speed’s pending free agency.
- DB-Jaylin Simpson: The Colts cut their 5th round pick out of Auburn at the end of the preseason.
- CB-Micah Abraham: The Colts cut their 6th round pick out of Marshal at the end of the preseason.
- DT-Jonah Laulu: The Colts cut their 7th round pick out of Oklahoma. Hope was there to bring Laulu back on the practice squad, but the Raiders claimed him instead.
Undrafted Free Agents:
OG-Dalton Tucker: The lone undrafted free agent to make the team, Tucker actually was called upon to start at right guard after Will Fries broke his leg in Week 5. Tucker started 7 games before the Colts benched him, and eventually had him as a healthy scratch to end his rookie season.
