If the Indianapolis Colts don't address tight end in the first round, keep your eyes on LSU's Mason Taylor on Day 2 of the NFL draft.
ESPN's draft analysts Jordan Reid, Field Yates, and Matt Miller each recently answered a series of draft-specific questions, one of which was naming a Day 2 pick who could be an "instant impact player in the right system."
For Reid, his selection was Taylor.
"He put together one of the most impressive pro day performances in this cycle, showcasing his elite movement skills to evaluators up close," Reid wrote. "Taylor's nuance as a route runner makes him an excellent red-zone option -- he can find the open spots in zone coverage and win with details against man coverage.
"He's also versatile, as he can line up in-line or flex out to create mismatches against smaller defenders. I've spoken with teams that think Taylor will be a top-50 pick capable of playing immediately as a pass-catching tight end."
Taylor measures in at 6-5, weighs 251 pounds, and posted a Relative Athletic Score (RAS) of 8.88 out of 10.0. This includes running a 4.68-second 40 and posting a 7.06-second 3-cone.
For three seasons now, he has been a steady presence in the LSU passing game, catching 71% of his 181 targets during that span at 10.1 yards per catch with six scores.
Roughly half of Taylor's snaps over his career have come lined up in-line, while 43% came from the slot. Out of 85 eligible tight ends, Taylor ranked 41st in PFF's run-blocking grade.
While the focus on the outside when it comes to the tight end position for the Colts is on the passing game, not to be forgotten about in Shane Steichen's offense is the importance of that position's ability to impact the run game as well.
Taylor will bring a fairly well-rounded skill set to the NFL level, and that element at the tight end position can add some unpredictability to an offense. This not only creates opportunities for Taylor to exploit but for others in the offense as well.
"That's a huge part of it," Shane Steichen said of having a tight end who can impact the game in multiple ways. "When you got the guy who can do both and you can run, stay in 11 personnel (three receivers, one tight end, one running back) and not have to sub certain guys out, that definitely helps."
This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: NFL draft: LSU TE Mason Taylor can provide 'instant impact' for Colts
