2021 NFL Draft: Indianapolis Colts 7-round mock
Pick Analysis. ECU. D'Ante Smith. 85. Scouting Report. Left tackle. player. 46
Smith shouldn’t be drafted with the expectation that he can be the team’s immediate starter at left tackle. That need should be addressed in free agency. Instead, Smith should be selected to be the team’s immediate swing tackle during his 2021 campaign.
He doesn’t have ideal power for the tackle position, but his borderline elite mobility on the edge makes him a tantalizing prospect. Jumping from ECU to the NFL is going to come with its share of challenges, but Smith has a legitimate chance to blossom into a star if things break right for him over the next few seasons.
Finding that kind of upside in Round 3 is a rarity. The Colts are one of the teams best positioned to gamble on such a raw tackle. They have a strong history of turning young offensive linemen into stars. Smith could be the latest in that run for Indianapolis.
The argument could be made that the Colts should draft a more polished option, but Smith’s talent is too prodigious to ignore. He could easily turn out to be one of the steals of this draft in a few years time.