Liam Eichenberg. Laviska Shenault. Drew Lock.
Anyone wanting to win a bet should memorize these names, as they are the players taken with the 42nd selection in the last three NFL drafts.
Now the potentially bad news.
Barring Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard stepping out of his conservative comfort zone and making a trade, this year’s 42nd pick belongs to Indy, a franchise still trying to shake free from the embarrassment of last season’s inexcusable collapse down the stretch.
The draft begins with the first round tonight and runs through Saturday at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
What better place to roll the dice.
Naturally, this begs the question of what newly acquired quarterback Matt Ryan needs most to be successful — a new starting left tackle to protect his blind side, or a big-play receiver capable of being the team’s go-to for the next five to seven years.
My opinion — amateur, yes, though widely shared — is the same as it’s been the past few years.
Receiver. Period. End of discussion.
Say what you want about Indy’s last two quarterbacks, Philip Rivers and Carson Wentz, but neither had the good fortune of aiming spirals toward the type of players Peyton Manning and Andrew Luck once did.
In other words, no one confused an aging T.Y. Hilton, oft-injured Parris Campbell and the pre-retirement version of tight end Jack Doyle as a buffet spread of enticing options.
To his credit, Michael Pittman Jr. emerged as a quality target, eclipsing the 1,000-yard barrier in his second season. In Indianapolis, however, he’s a second option playing the role of top option.
The Colts desperately need a No. 1 to pair with Pittman.
One would think Indianapolis could draft a potential starter at left tackle with its third-round pick, No. 73 overall. If not, free agency remains a possibility, as does a trade designed to strengthen a side of the line that was solidified by Anthony Costonzo for a decade before his 2020 retirement.
Colts fans understood and hopefully appreciated what they had when Manning was slinging the ball to Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne. Routes were precise, the ball often in mid-flight before Harrison or Wayne turned around.
It all looked so easy. So effortless. So taken for granted.
Until recently.
Ryan isn’t Manning, but he deserves an opportunity to succeed — one that would be greatly enhanced should Indianapolis unearth a gem or two at receiver.
If you’re Colts owner Jim Irsay, there can’t be much margin for error based on the way the 2021 season, one seemingly destined for a playoff berth, came skidding to a halt. Indianapolis can’t afford to fall flat in late April, even though it plays in the league’s worst division, a reality that occasionally covers up errors regarding personnel decisions.
So, for now, it’s draft pick No. 42.
But there is hope. In 2020, Indianapolis grabbed Pittman with the 34th pick and drafted 41st a short while later. Suffice it to say, the returns on running back Jonathan Taylor have been nothing but positive.
