COLLEGE PARK, MD – OCTOBER 30: Nick Cross #3 of the Maryland Terrapins celebrates after a defensive ... [+]
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The Indianapolis Colts finished off Day 2 of the 2022 NFL Draft with a massive splash to cap off an already strong haul. After selecting wide receiver Alec Pierce, tight end Jelani Woods and offensive tackle Bernhard Raimann, Indianapolis traded all the way up from No. 179 overall to No. 96 to draft Maryland safety Nick Cross.
An unprecedented move for Indianapolis, relinquishing a 2023 third-round pick to the Denver Broncos to move up 83 spots to secure the services of Cross.
Immediately, Cross steps into the Colts’ organization as their most athletic defensive back. With an elite Relative Athletic Score (RAS) of 9.87, Cross’ ceiling has miles of untapped potential waiting to be developed. And for Cross, he found the perfect system to spread his wings with new Colts defensive coordinator Gus Bradley.
Indianapolis believed Cross was one of the best safety prospects in the entire draft, and they believed he would’ve improved his stock even further if he stayed one more year at Maryland. That’s why the decision was so easy for the Colts’ brass to move a future asset to obtain Cross.
Cross will see immediate playing time for the Colts when they deploy three-safety sets, especially with Julian Blackmon returning from a torn Achilles tendon suffered in October. After running a blazing 4.34 40-yard dash, Cross’ athletic profile jumped off the page to Indianapolis. It even led to Colts owner Jim Irsay throwing out a Bob Sanders reference for Cross, extremely high praise for the former Maryland Terrapin.
Incredibly enough, Cross is still only 20-years-old and will be until September. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Indianapolis take their time developing Cross, but it will be hard to keep this talent off the field for long.
This was another forward-thinking move from the Colts as well, because Khari Willis and Rodney McLeod will be free agents after this season. Compared to Willis, who is more cerebral and less athletic, Cross can be considered the compete opposite. Thanks to his athleticism, Cross’ ceiling easily trumps what Willis can put together on the field long-term for the Colts. In 2023, we could be talking about Blackmon and Cross as the Colts’ safety duo for the next five-plus years.
When turning on the tape for Cross, the first thing that immediately stands out is his play speed. Being able to roam sideline-to-sideline with his speed and power, Cross is a weapon that can be deployed by any NFL defensive coordinator. Bradley has to be salivating thinking about Cross being used as a deterrent in nickel and dime packages.
Cross also checks the box Indianapolis always looks for with defensive prospects, one that has upmost importance: turnover potential. The 20-year-old safety forced multiple turnovers and interceptions last season, and he’s just scratching the surface of his versatility as an all-around defensive back.
The Colts have remade their defense on the fly this offseason with multiple massive transactions. After Matt Eberflus was hired as the Chicago Bears’ new head coach, Bradley has had the ear of GM Chris Ballard to reshape it to his preferred image. Yannick Ngakoue and Stephon Gilmore were game-changing maneuvers, and now Cross adds another unique element to build upon.
If Cross can become what the Colts hope for, he could become the most impactful player from this entire draft class littered with elite athletes.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/evansidery/2022/04/30/indianapolis-colts-draft-maryland-safety-nick-cross-at-no-96-overall/