INDIANAPOLIS —
According to most National Football League draft observers, this year’s crop of prospects is deep with quality offensive and defensive linemen.
Among the offensive line candidates who have been showcasing their talents at the National Football Scouting Combine, which began in earnest Thursday and wraps up on Tuesday, the spotlight has been on the offensive tackles. Offensive left tackles in particular.
It’s a deep and talented group, led by Texas A&M’s Luke Joeckel, Central Michigan’s Eric Fisher, Oklahoma’s Lane Johnson and Florida State’s Menelik Watson. Prior to the start of the combine, Joeckel has been mentioned as a candidate to be the first player taken in this year’s draft.
But there’s been a couple of small school prospects – Arkansas Pine Bluff’s Terron Armstead and Azusa Pacific’s Luke Marquardt – that have grabbed the attention of coaches and scouts the last couple of days.
Armstead, who stands in at 6-foot-5 and 304 pounds, set a combine record for offensive linemen Saturday morning by running a blistering 4.71 40-yard dash. He had an unofficial time of 4.65 on his first run of the day.
His play last fall had already forced scouts and league player personnel executives to take a longer look. His performance this week, particularly on Saturday, so impressed NFL Network’s Mike Mayock that he has Armstead as the quickest ascending player thus far at the combine. Mayock added that Armstead played well in last month's East-West Shrine Game.
And then there’s Marquardt, who also has been projected as a possible NFL offensive guard. A former basketball walk-on in college who did not play football in high school, he certainly has the size (6-8,315) to intrigue teams at the next level.
He’s the biggest offensive tackle prospect at the combine. Marquardt, who’s mother played college basketball at the University of Washington, also has 341⁄2–inch arms and topped out at 31 reps on the bench press. He also has respectable speed for a big man.
That’s the good news. What concerns coaches and scouts is his relative lack of football experience. Of his 34 total games during a college career that lasted just over two seasons, four were as a tight end.
“I don’t view [his lack of experience] as a challenge. [But] it’s definitely something I’m going to have to overcome,” Marquardt said during a meeting with the league’s media late last week. “Coaches and teams have recognized my talent and natural ability. I feel like this is only the beginning. I’m just going to keep striving forward.”
How he came to play football is an interesting story in itself.
“I came there [Azusa Pacific] originally for basketball as a walk-on and the head coach wasn’t there for the day. I came down and just by chance we were talking by the [football] coaches locker. I deiced to go meet him just by chance and he talked with me,” Marquardt recalled.
“He was like ‘You have great size, great athleticism and we’d love to have you come out for tight end.’ So I went out on the field, did a couple of [pass] routes, threw with the quarterbacks and they offered me a little but of [scholarship] money. I eventually got a full ride.”
His attributes a lot of success on the football field to the time he spent playing basketball.
“It’s been huge. I’ve always been told [that] I have great feet. And I think that does come from basketball. I played that growing up,” Marquardt said. “I was a late bloomer in high school. I was 6-1 as a freshman and I grew to be 6-8 by my senior year. [But] I was a lot skinner back then.”
One thing that has helped his stock with NFL teams is that his offensive line coach the past two seasons at Azusa Pacific was former Los Angeles Rams Pro Bowl offensive tackle Jackie Slater.
“It’s been incredible. He’s improved my game in every aspect. He’s been great,” Marquardt said.
Prior to playing football at the collegiate level, his only other experience in the game came as a youngster. But he gave it up when he went to high school.
“I felt like I had more of a body type for basketball. I was a lot skinner and felt that basketball was a better choice,” Marquardt explained, adding that he is looking his lack of football experience as a positive rather than a negative.
“I feel like the passion for football has just now started. It’s the beginning. It’s only going to rise.”
NFL teams like what they see. He has talked to representatives from 25 of the league’s 32 franchises. And he has had private chats with officials from New England and Indianapolis.
“It’s been exciting. I met with the Patriots the other day and [New England coach Bill] Belichick is just sitting right there casually,” Marquardt remembered. “It’s like, ‘Holy Cow, it’s Belichick.’ But it’s been cool.”
By the way, the last Azusa Pacific football product that created this much NFL buzz? Running back Christian Okoye in 1987.
• Jones was Colts fan — Alabama center Barrett Jones admits that he grew up in Tennessee as a fan of the Indianapolis Colts.
And his favorite centers? How about the recently retired tandem of Jeff Saturday and Matt Birk.
Not a bad way to catch the attention, if he hadn’t already,of the NFL team that plays their games at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Jones has attracted attention from NFL scouts for his ability to play all three offensive line positions. After beginning his collegiate career at offensive tackle, he made the switch to center prior to last season. League teams have also projected him as a possible offensive guard candidate.
“I’ve heard different things [where he will end up playing]. Most of the [teams] have [him] probably [playing] center. But I’ll play wherever,” he said last week. “I felt the most comfortable where I [have] played the least.
“If you asked me last year, I would have been most comfortable at left tackle. Right now, I’m definitely most comfortable at center. I really like [playing] center because I enjoy the mental part of it. It’s the most mentally challenging offensive line position. Just to be honest, I’m kind of a control freak. I like that aspect, to be in control, and kind of point out to people their assignments.”
Jones won’t be going through much on field work during the combine. He incurred a lis franc injury to his left foot last season and recently underwent surgery. Jones is still wearing a walking boot.
“I’m still not back for a few months,” he pointed out, adding that it usually takes about four months to recover from the medical procedure. Jones had surgery six weeks ago.
“You’ve got to realize you can’t control [the timetable for his recovery]. I can’t control that I was hurt. I just have to focus on the things I can control. That’s [to] interview well and doing all the little things right.”
He’s counting on his career at Alabama to show scouts enough of his talents and his versatility.
“I hope I have a lot of game film, maybe not at center, but at different positions. I feel like I’m intelligent. I know how to study the game well [and I] make very few mental errors. That’s what separates me apart,” Jones said.
“When you play a lot of positions, it allows you to learn the offense from different perspectives. You stop memorizing the offense and start understanding it. That’s the biggest reason playing center mentally wasn’t that big a challenge. I understood the offense and what we were trying to accomplish.”
Colts
Colts keeping eye on large crop of talented linemen in NFL Draft
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Colts' coordinators enjoying getting rookies acclimated
While the Indianapolis Colts put their rookies and a handful of second-year players through workouts this weekend at the team’s Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center, a pair of first-year coordinators are getting a chance to do some valuable on-field work as well.
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Werner, 36 others open Colts’ mini camp
The Indianapolis Colts welcomed 37 players to the start of the team’s rookie mini camp Friday at the West 56th Street headquarters.
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Colts hoping for more high marks on draft picks
A year ago, the Indianapolis Colts received high marks for the impact players the team added through the NFL draft.
Of the 10 players selected, five ended up either starting or seeing extensive playing time (quarterback Andrew Luck, tight ends Coby Fleener and Dwayne Allen, wide receiver T.Y. Hilton and running back Vick Ballard) during the Colts’ 11-5 season.
While this year’s class may not rival that group in terms of name recognition and flash, it may produce just as many major contributors once the 2013 season gets underway. -
Werner at top of game
Bjoern Werner was a late comer to football. But after being selected in the first round of the 2013 National Football League draft by the Indianapolis Colts, Werner realizes that he has reached the pinnacle of the sport in a relatively short amount of time.
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Colts select pass rusher Werner in first round
The Indianapolis Colts selected Florida State defensive end Bjoern Werner. The 6-foot-3, 266-pound defensive lineman can also play left outside linebacker.
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Colts in wait-and-see mode for tonight’s NFL draft
As the 2013 NFL draft gets underway tonight at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, the Indianapolis Colts are continuing their wait-and-see stance in regard to the first-round pick.
The draft begins at 8 p.m. — televised by the NFL Network and ESPN — with the Kansas City Chiefs making the night’s first selection. Teams will have 10 minutes to make their decisions during the first round. Indianapolis will have the 24th overall pick in the first round.
There will be only one round tonight. The second and third rounds are scheduled for Friday, beginning at 6:30 p.m. with seven minutes allotted per pick in the second round and five minutes allowed in the third. The final four rounds are slated to begin at noon Saturday with four minutes between selections.
As it stands now, Indianapolis does not have a second-round pick. It was traded to Miami last fall in exchange for veteran cornerback Vontae Davis. But second-year general manager Ryan Grigson has nut ruled out the possibility of trading down from the first round if the Colts aren’t satisfied with the players available. -
Direction clear for Colts in 2013 draft
The Indianapolis Colts head into the 2013 NFL Draft with some definite plans.
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Colts veteran among those excited to see Luck's growth in 2013-14
Veteran defensive end Cory Redding is a big fan — literally and figuratively — of Indianapolis Colts second-year quarterback Andrew Luck.
Redding, who has become one of the Colts’ lockerroom leaders after just one season with the team, thinks he has some reasonable expectations of Indianapolis’ former No. 1 draft pick. -
Heyward-Bey feeling fortunate to hook up with Luck
Add one more player to the list of veteran free agents signed by the Indianapolis Colts this offseason.
Former Oakland Raiders wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey agreed to a a deal with the Colts late Monday evening. Bey, who played collegiately at Maryland, was the seventh player selected in the first round of the 2009 National Football League draft. -
Colts sign nose tackle
Another day, more player signings for the Indianapolis Colts.
Nose tackle Aubrayo Franklin agreed to terms with the Colts on Tuesday evening and officially signed with the team Wednesday. Franklin (6-1, 315) is a 10-year NFL veteran with stops in Baltimore (2003-06), San Francisco (2007-10), New Orleans (2011) and San Diego (2012). -
Colts sign Matt Hasselbeck to back up Luck
The Indianapolis Colts’ roster moves just keep coming.
While the Colts haven’t yet added that big-name wide receiver that team owner Jim Irsay hinted at in tweets over the weekend, Indianapolis has addressed one area on offense.
Former Tennessee Titans quarterback Matt Hasselbeck had agreed Monday night to be the Colts’ primary back-up to second-year starter Andrew Luck. He officially signed a two-year, $8 million contract with the team Tuesday morning.
“We are very pleased to announce the signing of Matt Hasselbeck,” general manager Ryan Grigson said in a prepared statement. “His body of work, intangibles, and extensive league experience speak for themselves. Those factors, plus his familiarity with our offensive scheme, will make him a great asset to our team and its vision as we move forward.” -
Colts likely done signing free agents, for now
With the possible exception of adding a few lesser-priced players, the Indianapolis Colts’ big-time foray into the veteran free-agent marketplace is pretty much done.
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Landry, Jean Francois join Colts defensive unit
After adding five veteran free agent players to the Indianapolis Colts roster on Tuesday, general manager Ryan Grigson plucked two more plums late Wednesday night and Thursday afternoon.
New York Jets safety LaRon Landry and San Francisco 49ers defensive tackle Ricky Jean-Francois both signed contracts with the Colts. Landry, a strong safety who appears to be a bigger version of former Indianapolis Pro Bowler Bob Sanders, and the versatile Jean-Francois are expected to make immediate impacts on the Colts’ defensive unit. -
Colts introduce free-agent signees
What the Indianapolis Colts accomplished last season — posting an 11-5 record and earning an AFC wild-card berth with a young team plus having that kind of success without its head coach on the sidelines for 12 games — didn’t go unnoticed by players around the NFL.
That was especially true for the five veteran free agents who were added to the Colts’ roster Tuesday. Offensive tackle Gosder Cherilus (Detroit), cornerback Greg Toler (Arizona), outside linebacker Erik Walden (Green Bay), offensive guard Donald Thomas (New England) and linebacker Lawrence Sidbury (Atlanta) admitted as much Wednesday.
“I felt like this would be the best fit for me at this point in my career. I really liked what I saw was happening with the program here and the way things have taken shape. I feel like we have a really great team here and it’s on the rise. I really wanted to be a part of that,” Thomas said during a teleconference interview with the Colts’ media. -
Colts sign five free agents, filling needs at offensive line, cornerback
The Indianapolis Colts were a busy team on the opening day of the National Football League’s veteran free agent market, which got underway at 4 p.m. Tuesday.
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Jeff Saturday retires as a Colt
An Indianapolis Colt for life. Pencil in Jeff Saturday for that honor.
The 14-year veteran center in the NFL put an official stamp on a career Thursday that began in Baltimore in 1998 and ended in Green Bay in 2012. But it was those 13 seasons in between — from 1999 to 2011 in which he played for Indianapolis — when Saturday earned his greatest rewards. -
Saturday thrilled to retire as a Colt
The 14-year veteran center in the National Football League put an official stamp on a career Thursday that began in Baltimore in 1998 and ended in Green Bay in 2012. But it was those 13 seasons in-between — from 1999 to 2011 in which he played for Indianapolis — that Saturday earned his greatest rewards.
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Saturday to retire as Colt on Thursday
Former Indianapolis Colts center Jeff Saturday will make his retirement from the National Football League official on Thursday.
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Indianapolis franchises punter McAfee
A week ago, Indianapolis Colts coach Chuck Pagano said it was a priority that the team retain the services of punter Pat McAfee.
McAfee, an unrestricted free agent who’s contract is due to expire March 12, was designated as the Colts’ franchise player Friday. The move allows Indianapolis extra time to work out a long-term deal for the team’s special-teams ace.
“He’s huge. He’s a major priority in free agency. Obviously, we’ve reached out and are working to get Pat re-signed,” Pagano said during the National Football Scouting Combine. “We saw what he did for us last year. He’s a great weapon, not only kickoffs and touchbacks. -
Colts GM enjoying time at combine
Indianapolis Colts second-year general manager Ryan Grigson makes no bones about it. He enjoys watching prospective football players strut their stuff.
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Colts keeping eye on large crop of talented linemen in NFL Draft
According to most National Football League draft observers, this year’s crop of prospects is deep with quality offensive and defensive linemen.
Among the offensive line candidates who have been showcasing their talents at the National Football Scouting Combine, which began in earnest Thursday and wraps up on Tuesday, the spotlight has been on the offensive tackles. Offensive left tackles in particular. -
Colts' Pagano back to full work schedule at combine
Back and ready to go.
That’s the attitude Indianapolis Colts coach Chuck Pagano is taking during the National Football Scouting Combine, which completed its second day of operations Friday at Lucas Oil Stadium. During a wide-ranging press conference at the combine, Pagano confirmed that he is back to a full work regimen after missing 12 games last fall as he battled a rare form of leukemia.
After undergoing cancer treatments that featured heavy doses of chemotherapy, the second-year head coach was able to return to the sidelines for Indianapolis’ final regular-season home game against Houston and for the team’s AFC wild-card matchup with eventual Super Bowl champion Baltimore. -
Colts looking forward to different approach to draft in 2013
A year ago, the Indianapolis Colts had the first overall pick in the 2012 National Football League draft.
It was a foregone conclusion that the Colts would select former Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck with the selection. While Indianapolis front office and player personnel officials certainly had to do their due diligence in preparing for the draft, the Colts find themselves this year in a bit different situation.
The team will have the 24th overall pick in the first round, which is a double-edged sword. Indianapolis picks lower in the round due to a successful season. But the pool of available can’t-miss talent isn’t quite as plentiful as drafting earlier in the round. -
Former Pro Bowl selection Freeney won't return to Colts
The news coming out of the Indianapolis Colts headquarters Friday afternoon was not totally unexpected. Team officials have confirmed that two veteran players – former Pro Bowl defensive end/outside linebacker Dwight Freeney and wide receiver Austin Collie — will not be returning for the 2013 season.
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Colts’ new offensive coordinator will offer variety
Quarterback Andrew Luck running the Pistol offense? Wide receiver T.Y. Hilton lining up in the Wildcat?
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Colts moving on to the off season
Moving on. That’s the immediate plans for the Indianapolis Colts as they head into the off season.
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Baltimore ends Indy’s playoff run early
The Baltimore Ravens want one long final ride for Ray Lewis. Having disposed of Andrew Luck and the Colts, they now face a more imposing challenge.
Next up, Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos. -
Switching sides: Colts-Ravens matchup includes old friends on new teams
Just as Baltimore Ravens players and coaches will be seeing some old friends returning to M&T Bank Stadium today, several Indianapolis Colts veterans will also have an opportunity to renew acquaintances with a familiar face.
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Pagano prepares Colts for tough crowd in Baltimore
As a former resident of Baltimore, Indianapolis Colts head coach Chuck Pagano knows all about the hard feelings that still run strong about the move of the Colts franchise to Indianapolis in 1984.
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Pagano marvels at Colt’s progress
In the minutes after last Sunday’s win over AFC South champion Houston, Indianapolis Colts coach Chuck Pagano marveled at how the 2012 season has progressed for his team.
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