INDIANAPOLIS — After meeting with Indianapolis Colts officials during a pre-draft visit to the team’s headquarters earlier this month, former Louisiana State running back Joseph Addai knew that there was a fairly good chance that he might end up with the defending AFC South champions.
Once the New England Patriots snatched up Minnesota’s Laurence Maroney and the Carolina Panthers plucked Memphis’ DeAngelo Williams with the 21st and 27th picks, respectively, the Colts were able to get the guy that they had coveted since February’s National Football Scouring Combine.
Of course — before the 5-foot-11, 214-pound Addai could officially become the first running back selected by Indianapolis in the first round since Edgerrin James — there were more than a few anxious moments for team president Bill Polian and Coach Tony Dungy. In fact, the Colts had contemplated making a move up from the 30th spot but couldn’t find any takers.
“We were trying to get ahead of the running back run, which came exactly where we expected it would. But as it turned out, that didn’t materialize. It was very difficult to make deals. There were very few opportunities to move up. Somebody asked me the other day how accurate was our [draft] board. Too accurate. They came off exactly as we thought they would. So there were no names left up in the first round. But we’re happy to get him,” Polian said Saturday.
So sure of their choice, the Colts didn’t waste much time making their pick. Little over five minutes into their allotted 15-minute time limit, the decision was made.
“There was no need to sit and wait for a trade down,” Polian admitted. “We decided [Saturday] morning that [Addai] was the guy we wanted and hoped that he would get to us. When he did, there’s no need to wait. Make the pick and go.”
In opting to bring Addai to Indianapolis, the Colts are hopeful that they’ve found the player who can help fill the large vacuum left by the free agent departure of James to the Arizona Cardinals.
“We feel has all the attributes necessary to succeed at this level. He runs the fastest of all the backs in the draft at 4.43 [seconds]. [He’s] 5-11, 214 pounds, so he’s exactly the same size as Edgerrin. [He] has many of the same attributes,” Polian said.
“I’m not trying to make him Edgerrin. As I said on Thursday, that’s far too heavy a burden for any back to carry. But he is a very good blocker, a very good receiver and a very hard running, speedy, shifty back. So I think the fans are going to like what they see. We’re very happy to get him.”
An option quarterback in high school, the Houston, Texas native proved to be a versatile player while at LSU as he saw playing time as a wide receiver, fullback and running back. Addai ran for 781 yards and eight touchdowns as a senior for the Tigers.
“He does everything well. He catches the ball exceptionally well. He’s been a wide receiver. He knows how to run [pass] routes. He blocks very well. He’s a very tough guy,” Polian said. “He played fullback as a freshman at LSU. He’s been moved around and understands concepts very well. He can block, he can catch, he can run routes.
“I think all of America saw in the [2005] Peach Bowl game what he can do when he runs the football. In three quarters of a game, he had 124 yards and a couple of touchdowns, if I’m not mistaken. He’s a talented runner. As far as his character is concerned, it’s sterling. We talked with people who coached him at LSU and people who had been there and recruited him. The coach that recruited him, who’s no longer at LSU, called us and said this is a guy who would want to think about.”
According to Polian, the Colts interest in Addai is simple — they like the way he approaches the game.
“He’s a guy that will move the pile all the time. He’s gonna get three and four [yards] when there’s a pile. But when there’s daylight, he’s getting 15 and 20 [yards]. So if it’s blocked, if you block 12, he’s likely to get 20 or 25 [yards]. That’s where the yardage comes from,” he said.
“And he does well in the passing game too because he catches it so well and can turn up. He’s what we haven’t here in a while in terms of taking an eight-yard run that’s blocked and turning it into a 22-yard run. He can do that.”
I I I
n Patience first — Dungy acknowledged Saturday that fans and media alike will attempt to make comparisons between Addai and James. But the Colts coach asked for a bit of patience.
“When we looked at the job description of our running back, we just thought this was the most qualified guy. A guy who could do a lot of things, block very well, catch balls out of the backfield, run inside, run outside, speed to make long runs. He can do it,” the Indianapolis coach said.
“I think the thing we have to be careful of is that we don’t just try to make this guy Edgerrin James. He’s going to have a lot of pressure on him because of Edgerrin leaving. And we’ve just got to let him be who he is and he’ll be fine. But he’s going to be a very good player. He’s a solid citizen. He’s a great worker. He’s played on an [NCAA] national championship team. He’s a winner. He played on a great team in high school. He just had everything that you look for and we’re happy to have him.”
n Knee problems not a concern — Polian and Dungy didn’t seem to be concerned that past knee problems might hinder Addai’s development with the Colts.
According to one report, the former LSU running back suffered a torn anterior ligament in his right knee as a freshman in 2001 and underwent arthroscopic surgery on the same knee for a medial collateral ligament injury in 2003.
“I spoke to [Colts orthopedic surgeon] Dr. [Tom] Klootwyk [Saturday] morning just to be sure that everything was okay,” Polian said. “Dr. Klootwyk’s remark was that the knee is absolutely fine. There is no evidence of arthritis or anything of that nature.”
n Colts select Jennings, Keiaho in second and third rounds — The Colts selected Georgia cornerback Tim Jennings in the second and third rounds Saturday.
Jennings may be small in stature (5-8, 185), but Polian and Dungy compared him to Indianapolis safety Bob Sanders in terms of playing style.
“We’ve had pretty good success with that Volkswagen bus crowd,” the Indianapolis coach joked. “Bob Sanders, Robert Mathis, Jason David, Dwight Freeney have all been pretty good for us. Tim will fit right in. He’s a very physical player who played in a physical conference. He played against good people his whole career and he’s going to do well.”
Polian agreed.
“He’s a guy that can really run. He was under 4.4, 4.38 for the 40. He has really good quickness. He is tough, a good tackler and played extensively there in their nickel package. We think it’s an upgrade in the secondary for us,” he said.
“He’s a guy we were hoping to get to us. We have always believed you can never have enough cornerbacks. He’s a guy that’s going to be a contributor for us.”
Indianapolis used its third round pick to select San Diego State linebacker Freddie Keiaho. The 5-11, 232-pounder started at middle linebacker for the Aztecs last season, but can also play on the outside. He had 18 tackles in a loss to Ohio State as a senior,
n Indiana players taken — Vanderbilt quarterback Jay Cutler, a native of Santa Claus, Ind., was selected by Denver with the 11th pick in the first round. The Broncos originally had the 15th selection in the first round but traded up with the St. Louis Rams for the opportunity to take Cutler.
Boston College defensive end Mathias Kiwaunka, who attended Indianapolis Cathedral High School, was drafted by the New York Giants with the 32nd pick of the first round. The Giants had obtained the pick in a trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Notre Dame tight end Anthony Fasano went to the Dallas Cowboys with the 53rd overall pick in the second round. Purdue safety Bernard Pollard was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the second round with the 54th overall pick. Pollard went to Fort Wayne South High School
Boston College offensive tackle Jeremy Trueblood, a high school teammate of Kiwaunka at Cathedral, was drafted 59th in the second round by Tampa Bay. Also, Western Michigan tight end Tony Scheffler — who went to Denver with the 61st pick in the second round — is a cousin of former Purdue basketball player Steve Scheffler.
Notre Dame wide receiver Maurice Stovall went to Tampa Bay with the 90th overall pick in the third round.
Colts
Related Photos
Discussion
Colts snare Bayou Bengal in first round of NFL Draft
As expected, Indy addresses its need at running back
- Colts
-
-
Colts welcome Manusky aboard as defensive coordinator
On Thursday, Indianapolis Colts general manager Ryan Grigson, coach Chuck Pagano and potential No. 1 draft pick Andrew Luck led the parade.
Grigson and Pagano confirmed the hiring of several assistant coaches, including defensive coordinator Greg Manusky, Marwan Maalouf (special teams), Roy Anderson (safeties), Alfredo Roberts (tight ends) and Brandt Boyer (assistant special teams). -
Mathis, Garcon at top of Colts’ wish list; Wayne isn’t
Expect defensive end Robert Mathis and wide receiver Pierre Garcon to be priorities for the Indianapolis Colts during free agency.
-
Manning tiptoes around health questions
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning and team owner Jim Irsay came to an agreement last week to keep any lingering issues about Manning's future with the team on the backburner during Super Bowl week.
-
Back home again in Indiana
Former Indianapolis Colts coach Jim Caldwell has landed a job as quarterbacks coach for the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens announced Caldwell’s hiring Monday.
-
Patriots first to arrive in Indy
Welcome to Super Bowl Week.
-
Pagano wants aggressive defense with Colts
When the Colts went looking for a new head coach, a good portion of the team’s fans made it clear that they wanted a departure from the laid-back style of former coaches Tony Dungy and Jim Caldwell.
-
Irsay: Manning comments should have stayed in-house
Not only did the Colts introduce new head coach Chuck Pagano during an afternoon press conference, team owner Jim Irsay also made his feelings known about recent comments that quarterback Peyton Manning made.
-
Colts go with defensive specialist
The Indianapolis Colts, after a weeklong search process, finally landed themselves a head coach Wednesday.
-
Caldwell can’t survive 2-14 season in Indy
The offseason moves just keep on coming for the Indianapolis Colts.
-
Colts fire head coach Caldwell
Tribune-Star correspondent Tom James reports that Colts head coach Jim Caldwell has been fired. No other details are known at this time.
-
Colts hire Eagles exec Grigson as GM
The Indianapolis Colts formally announced former Philadelphia director of player personnel Ryan Grigson as the team’s new general manager Wednesday.
-
Colts hire Eagles executive Grigson as GM
The Indianapolis Colts have hired Eagles executive Ryan Grigson as their new general manager.
-
Irsay: Colts are in 'rebuilding stage'
So are the Indianapolis Colts in a retooling or a rebuilding mode heading into the offseason?
If you ask the players, they would prefer to use the retooling philosophy. In their minds, get some injured players back and the Colts can be right back in the thick of the AFC South title race and once again be a contender for the AFC championship.
Team owner Jim Irsay, though, sees a tougher road ahead. -
Colts give the boot to Polian duo
It didn’t take long for Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay to start making moves with his team.
One day after Irsay’s Colts dropped a 19-13 road decision to Jacksonville, giving Indianapolis a 2-14 record and the No. 1 pick in the 2012 National Football League draft, longtime Colts executive Bill Polian and his son, vice-president/general manager Chris Polian, were both fired.
-
Interesting subplots abound in Colts-Jags game
This afternoon’s AFC South matchup between the Indianapolis Colts (2-13) and Jacksonville Jaguars (4-11) is the regular-season finale for both teams.
-
Colts players a fan of Murphy's promotion to defensive coordinator
Cohesion. That’s the word the keeps coming up when coach Jim Caldwell and many of the team’s players are asked about the turnaround of the Indianapolis Colts’ defensive unit.
-
To win or to lose? For Colts fans, it's not an easy question
With the No. 1 draft pick on the line if the Indianapolis Colts were to lose Sunday at Jacksonville, it’s easy to see why a lot of the team’s fans wouldn’t mind seeing the team fall to the Jaguars.
-
Colts’ Freeney to play in seventh Pro Bowl
Despite a team record of 2-13 heading into the final week of the National Football League regular season, there was some good news coming out of the Indianapolis Colts’ West 56th Street facility Tuesday night.
-
Colts’ last game not without questions
Are the Indianapolis Colts treating Sunday’s game at Jacksonville as the final game of the season or just the next game on the schedule?
-
Colts celebrate second straight division victory
Indianapolis Colts fans finally got a little luck on their side Thursday night at Lucas Oil Stadium.
It may not have been Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck, who is expected to the top pick in next spring’s National Football League draft. -
With latest win, Colts provide suspense for 2012 draft position
Now that the Indianapolis Colts have posted two straight wins in their last two games, including Thursday night’s 19-16 victory over AFC South champion Houston, many of the team’s fans find themselves in quite a quandary.
The Colts will take a 2-13 record into next week’s New Year’s Day regular-season finale at Jacksonville. -
Colts face another tough running test
The credit for the Indianapolis Colts’ win over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday can go in a couple different directions.
-
Colts taking no risks with injured Manning
Both Bill Polian and Jim Caldwell are looking to the future when it comes to injured quarterback Peyton Manning.
-
More wins to come?
With a win finally under their belts, the Indianapolis Colts (1-13) now look forward to two days of intensive work beginning today.
-
FINALLY! THEY WON
It was a day of firsts for the Indianapolis Colts.
-
Polian hopes to set ‘record straight’
Indianapolis Colts vice chairman Bill Polian didn’t like what he was hearing prior to and during Sunday’s National Football League home game with the Tennessee Titans.
-
Polian shares thoughts on QB situation
With the Indianapolis Colts’ chances of clinching the No. 1 pick in the 2012 National Football League draft getting closer with each succeeding loss, talk among fans and team observers invariably goes to the possibility of the team selecting Stanford junior quarterback Andrew Luck.
-
Colts prepared for Hasselbeck or Locker
The Indianapolis Colts defense is preparing to face a two-pronged offensive attack when the Tennessee Titans visit Lucas Oil Stadium Sunday.
-
Colts could still become spoiler
Time is running short for the 2011 Indianapolis Colts.
-
Colts have three more chances to win
The Indianapolis Colts may be 0-13 for the season, but the team keeps battling.
- More Colts Headlines
-
Colts welcome Manusky aboard as defensive coordinator
Pop Music Superstar Whitney Houston Dies at 48
Raw Video: Whitney Houston's Last Performance
Police: Houston Found Dead in Her Hotel Room
Fans 'Speechless' Over Houston's Death
Reaction to Houston's Death at Clive Davis Party
Recording Superstar Whitney Houston Dead at 48
Paul Suffers Narrow Loss to Romney in Maine
Palin Brings Anti-Washington Message to CPAC
Maine GOP Chairman Says Romney Wins Caucuses
Snow Strands Italian Towns
Raw Video: Deadly Blasts in Syria
Obama Scraps Birth Control Mandate
Latest Jason Wu Collection Shows Chinese Roots
ShowBiz Minute: Madonna, Beresford-Redman, Pawsc
US Airmen's Killer Sentenced to Life in Germany
Raw Video: Rough Seas Stop Oil Removal
Winter Slamming North Asia, Parts of Europe
The Pits: Israelis Spit Olives for Glory
Marines: No Punishment for Nazi-like Flag
5 Killed in Wrong-way Crash on I-10 in La.
Exclusive Video - Whitney's Bodybag
Girl rescued after avalanche buries village in Kosovo
Whitney's Final Days - EXCLUSIVE
Raw Video: Aurora Borealis As Seen From Space
First glimpse of Blue Ivy Carter
Lusetich: AT&T Rd. 3 recap
Peek inside Barbie's closet
Romney Tops Santorum in CPAC Straw Poll
Madonna's Daughter Shaves Head
Angry Dad Shoots Teens Laptop
Absolute Lin-sanity
Test on Comforter in Powell Unit Shows Blood
Hero Driver Saves Kids From Burning Bus
Funeral to be held for Powell boys
Sandusky on having to stay inside and people turning on him
Uzbek Man Pleads Guilty in Plot to Kill Obama
Woolly Mammoth Caught on Camera?
Did JLo 'Assault' Marc Anthony on Camera?
Christie Brinkley's Runway Slip
