The Indianapolis Colts have been filling all of their biggest needs during the 2023 NFL Draft. They got off to a hot start by landing Anthony Richardson with the No. 4 overall pick and have not stopped finding value while filling needs since.
The draft board has fallen nicely for Indianapolis, who added cornerback Julius Brents and wide receiver Josh Downs on Day 2. Both players could see action right away with Stephon Gilmore being traded to the Dallas Cowboys and Parris Campbell signing a free agent deal with the New York Giants.
But, arguably the most intriguing pick that the Colts have made after Richardson came on Day 3. With the eighth pick of the fourth round, No. 110 overall, Indianapolis selected Northwestern EDGE defender Adetomiwa Adebawore.
He produced well for the Wildcats last season, registering 9.0 tackles for loss and 5.0 sacks, consistently getting into the opponent’s backfield and making plays. What really jumped out when watching Adebawore was his athleticism.
That athleticism was on full display during the 2023 NFL Combine. According to Next Gen Stats, Adebawore ran the fastest 40-yard dash of any player weighing over 280 pounds in the last two decades with a 4.49. He had an off-the-charts 97 athleticism grade, which makes him a very intriguing prospect.
The Colts had a major need on the edge with Yannick Ngakoue in free agency. Ngakoue led the team with 9.5 sacks in 2022 and they had yet to fill that void in the lineup. Adebawore will certainly help in that regard, but he is more than just a pass rusher.
He does an excellent job of also setting the edge in the running game, something that Ngakoue has not been great at during his NFL career. His speed makes him an excellent player when pursuing from the backside, as he is as fast as most of the offensive players he will be chasing down in the NFL.
