There was some talk of Stanford tight end Coby Fleener going in the tail end of the first round, but it didn’t happen.
Fleener had to wait until the 34th overall pick, when he was selected by the Colts. That means he will remain a target of Andrew Luck’s after the Colts made him the first overall pick on Thursday night. That should make the long night in the green room a little easier to take for Fleener.
Widely regarded as the best tight end in the draft, Fleener has the mix of size and speed that has become all the rage at the position in the last few years. Like Jimmy Graham and Antonio Gates, Fleener has a basketball background although he played a lot more football at the collegiate level than either of those players. He hasn’t shown much skill as a blocker, but the Colts are likely more interested in his ability to stretch the field in advantageous matchups.
Having a familiar receiver like Fleener should make life easier for Luck as he makes the transition to the NFL. Fleener and Reggie Wayne figure to have a lot of balls thrown in their direction next season.