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Which Indianapolis Colts player was selected as the team’s “most exciting” undrafted rookie this offseason?
Of the Indianapolis Colts’ undrafted free agent additions that they made this offseason, Bleacher Report selected linebacker Solomon DeShields as the “most exciting” of the group.
Brent Sobleski recently highlighted the most exciting UDFA for each NFL team. When it came to the Colts, their history of finding “hidden gems,” as Sobleski put it, at the linebacker position, is what makes DeShields a player to watch.
“He is another long and rangy backer who can make the squad after the franchise didn’t outright address it during the draft,” Sobleski wrote. “The 6’2″, 235-pound Pitt transfer runs well and posted strong explosive traits in the vertical and broad jumps. He also has arms over 33 inches long, which Indianapolis prioritizes.”
DeShields spent his most recent college season at Texas A&M, where he played 189 total defensive snaps. Before that, he was a starter at Pittsburgh during the 2023 season after filling a rotational role in 2022.
In that 2023 season, DeShields logged 15 pressures as a blitzer and was a very sound tackler, which helped him hold up as a run defender and also limit pass-catchers in coverage to just 6.0 yards per catch.
DeShields has also played 488 special teams snaps over his career and did so across four of the six different phases, according to PFF.
When it comes to making the 53-man roster as a UDFA, a big part of that equation is that there is an opportunity to do so at that position group.
Beyond Zaire Franklin, the Colts do not have a lot of defensive experience on the depth chart, but they have a number of core special teams contributors. If DeShields is going to make a roster push, he’ll not only have to stand out on defense but on special teams as well, since that is likely where his playing time would come from.
If I were to put together my UDFA to watch for the Colts, I’d select safety Trey Washington. He’s an experienced and versatile player who has gone up against SEC competition and plays a position where there are some unknowns on the depth chart behind Nick Cross and Cam Bynum.
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