INDIANAPOLIS — For the better part of a decade, Chris Ballard worked for the Chicago Bears, watching Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs show how important linebacker play can be to the Tampa Two-inspired scheme he’d end up bringing back to Indianapolis, all while loading up on linebackers in the draft.
First there was Anthony Walker, a late-round middle linebacker who ended up fitting best in Indianapolis once defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus arrived.
Then the Colts grabbed Darius Leonard, the prototypical weak-side linebacker, a Derrick Brooks for today’s NFL. A year ago, Ballard landed Bobby Okereke, a promising, athletic linebacker with Leonard’s length and enough of a frame to play in the middle.