DT Drake Nevis (LSU)
87 overall selection by Indianapolis
Last Season Stats: 56 tkls, 6 sacks, 2 FF, 1 INT
Notes: Lombardi semifinalist last yr, received significant playing time as a freshman, AP All-American, earned Defensive Player of the Week against Alabama last season
The Colts really seem to focus on the run every year in the draft by getting a running back and defensive tackle. They made no exception to the rule this year by drafting Delone Carter and Drake Nevis. Defensively, Indianapolis has a sorry history against the run (see Wk 1 vs. Houston). Hopefully, Drake Nevis can be long-term solution here at defensive tackle and provide depth to a position that needs some stability. Nevis wasn’t drafted to be a future starter but will be a great rotation man in the Colts 4-3 scheme. If Nick Fairley didn’t cast such a long shadow for defensive linemen, you would certainly hear about Nevis a great deal more often. He was the next Glenn Dorsey at LSU and had standout games against Florida and Alabama this past year. What he lacks in size, he makes up for in explosiveness and strength. At 6’1’’ and 295 pounds, Nevis comes off maybe undersized but plays with an extremely high motor. He doesn’t excel as a pass rusher because he has trouble staying low and doesn’t have top end speed. But Drake was brought to Indy to help solidify a run defense and him not staying low is something that can be corrected at the professional level. Scouts worry about the lack of a bull rush but I believe it is over-exaggerated and the Colts provide plenty of pass rush off the ends anyway with two people you may have heard of, Freeney and Mathis. Of course, fingers crossed that Indy manages to resign Mathis for the next few years. The most impressive skill set Nevis 
may have in his arsenal is the ability to take on the double team. This will allow linebackers to penetrate the backfield quicker and hopefully stop a running back before it can get started or give them a gap to get through during pass blitzes. The DT is a strong tackler and uses his hands well to disengage blocks. He locates the ball quickly and is very strong in stunts and twists, which the Colts use quite often. The entire Colts fan base hopes Nevis is yet another piece to the solution in stopping the run defense woes.