The Indianapolis Colts used the No. 53 overall pick to select wide receiver Alec Pierce hoping the rookie will have an immediate impact in the offense.
Even though the start of the regular season is still months away, ESPN’s Mike Clay revealed his projections for the rookie class in 2022, and Pierce found his way into the top five for rookie receiving yards.
Receiving yards
1. Drake London, Atlanta Falcons: 967
2. Treylon Burks, Tennessee Titans: 893
3. Garrett Wilson, New York Jets: 857
4. Chris Olave, New Orleans Saints: 847
5. Alec Pierce, Indianapolis Colts: 746Second-rounder Pierce is a bit of a surprise on this list, but even in a run-heavy offense, he has a clear path to a big workload opposite Michael Pittman Jr. He just beat out Jameson Williams (No. 12 overall), who might miss time as he recovers from a torn ACL, as well as Jahan Dotson (No. 16), Christian Watson (No. 34) and Skyy Moore (No. 54).
While it’s no guarantee that Pierce will have a starting role to begin his rookie season, it’s clear the Colts are pushing to see how quickly he can get involved into the offense with Matt Ryan at the helm.
With Michael Pittman Jr. working as the X receiver, we should expect Pierce to compete for the role as the former’s running mate at the Z spot. That role will give him plenty of opportunities to work both on the outside and in the slot while making plays as a vertical threat.
Pierce will have some competition for the role, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him approach this number for his rookie season—even if it may be a bit on the high end.
Only four Colts rookie wide receivers have hit that mark since 1980 so the Colts would likely have to shift a bit more toward the pass in 2021.
Regardless, the role will be open for Pierce, and no one would be shocked if he’s competing for the second or third-most targets in the offense.
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