The Colts were named as a ‘best draft fit’ for do-it-all Kansas State tight end Ben Sinnott by Justin Melo of The Draft Network.
Here is what Melo had to say about the fit:
“The Colts have been connected to potentially drafting Bowers in the first round, but I ultimately foresee Ballard drafting a prospect at a more pressing premium position like wide receiver or cornerback. Ballard could then turn around at No. 46 or No. 82 and target a tight end like Sinnott, which sophomore quarterback Anthony Richardson would appreciate. There’s a need at the position with the aging Mo Alie-Cox entering a contract year and Kylen Granson being better suited as a role player.”
Sinnott is an excellent athlete. He measures in at 6-3 – 250 pounds and posted a Relative Athletic Score of 9.72. Jim Nagy, the Executive Director of the Reese’s Senior Bowl, would point out that Sinnott had the highest vertical, the longest broad jump, and the fastest three-cone of any tight and the NFL combine.
For the Wildcats, Sinnott wore many hats and impacted the game as both a receiver and a run-blocker. Just in 2023, Sinnott lined up in the backfield, in-line as a traditional tight end, in the slot, and on the boundary.
As a pass-catcher, with most of his playing time coming in the last two seasons, Sinnott caught 66 percent of the 119 targets that came his way during the 2022 and 2023 seasons, averaging 14.2 yards per catch with 10 touchdowns.
This past year, he would rank ninth out of all tight ends in yards per route run and 32nd in average YAC. Sinnott was also one of PFF’s higher grade run and pass-blocking tight ends.
For more on Sinnott and his potential impact at the NFL level, here is what Lance Zierlein of NFL.com wrote in his pre-draft report:
“Athletic F tight end with an ability to add value in the passing game and handle some blocking duties in space. The former walk-on has added 40 pounds to his frame without losing his speed or agility. He’s an adequate route runner with the quickness to compete against man coverage on all three levels and get additional yards after the catch. He lacks NFL physicality to hold up on blocking duties near the line, and he needs to prove he can play with quicker, stronger hands as a pass catcher. Sinnott is a Day 3 talent but his NFL journey could be determined by whether he can get just a little bit better in all phases.”
Immediately, Sinnott could establish himself as the best blocker on the team at tight end along with providing Anthony Richardson with a reliable target in the passing game with athletic upside.
Having a move-tight end who brings the playmaking ability that Sinnott does while also being able to hold his own as a blocker can do wonders for an offense, specifically creating mismatches and adding a level of unpredictability to it.
Sinnott’s ability to move around the formation will not only create opportunities for himself to exploit but for his teammates as well.
With Sinnott able to take on a variety of responsibilities and fill a number of roles, it further opens up the playbook for Shane Steichen and allows him to better disguise what is coming because defenses can’t get a beat on what is coming pre-snap.
Sinnott could end up being the second tight end off the board behind Georgia’s Brock Bowers, and for the reasons mentioned, would be a very good addition to the Colts’ offense on Day 2 of the draft.
