The Colts couldn’t believe that such a productive cornerback was waiting for them in the 3rd round of the draft. The only thing that probably made Hughes available to the Colts is the fact that he’s not really fast (4.57 40) but that might not matter too much to a team like the Colts that run a lot of zone. Hughes is a great playmaker in the passing game but he’s not much help against the run. In 51 games (41 starts) at California, Hughes made 190 tackles, broke up 29 passes and intercepted 15 passes that he returned for 344 yards. Look for Hughes to prove to be a steal for the Colts.

Despite the need for defense the Colts decided to address their offensive line which is starting to get a little bit long in tooth. Ugoh is a natural left tackle but he has experience at the guard spots as well.  Ugoh is best in the running game as he’s a good athlete and is adept at hitting moving targets on sweeps and screens. The Colts would be best served to let him learn for a season before they start him, but he has the potential to be a really good tackle in the future.

You would have thought that the Colts would have been looking to add to their awful defense but they pulled a surprise in the first round and selected Ohio State receiver Anthony Gonzalez. Gonzalez will start out as the #3 WR for the Colts and he’ll likely replace Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison whenever he decides to hang up the cleats. Gonzalez is on the small side at 5’11″, 195 pounds but he’s really fast as he runs a 4.35 40. Gonzalez has great hands and he knows all of the tricks to get open. In 33 games (15 starts) at Ohio State, Gonzalez caught 87 passes for 1,286 yards (14.8 avg) with 13 TD grabs. This was a good pick for the Colts as Gonzalez was very underrated coming into this Draft.

The Colts have waived Gilbert Gardner and Mike Labinjo. Gardner was quickly claimed by the Tennessee Titans and that could cause a problem as they are a division rival of the Colts. Gardner played in 15 games for the Colts last season and he made 53 tackles and defensed 4 passes. Over his three year career, Gardner played in 37 games for the Colts and he made 95 tackles, had 1 sack, 1 interception and defended 6 passes. Labinjo never played for the Colts. He was signed in the off-season and the Colts felt after the draft that they didn’t need him around. Labinjo had played in 10 games in his 3-year NFL career and he only made 19 tackles, had 1/2 a sack and forced 1 fumble. He will be no loss for the Colts.

The Colts have added Mike Seidman to their fine stable of tight ends. Seidman only played in 3 games last season for the Carolina Panthers and he didn’t catch a pass. In his 4 year NFL career, Seidman has played in 43 games (15 starts) and he has caught 18 passes for 158 yards (8.8 avg) with 2 TD receptions. He was used mostly as a blocker in the running game but he can catch the football so the Colts might expand his role with them if he makes the team.