The Indianapolis Colts began restocking their secondary with a third-round selection of USC cornerback Kevin Thomas, who could rank as high as fourth at corner after a purge of the guys at the tail end of the group.
Indy nabbed Thomas with the 94th pick overall, right in the same range it found Jerraud Powers last season. Powers stepped in when injuries cut into the availability of Marlin Jackson and Kelvin Hayden last year and was a key piece in a Super Bowl run.
With Jackson, Tim Jennings, T.J. Rushing and Aaron Francisco gone from the 2009 team, Thomas should get a chance to show he can function in the defensive backfield if one of the Colts top three -- Hayden, Powers or Jacob Lacey -- goes down.
Some write-ups like Thomas’s long arms, athleticism and instincts, while others see him as an underachiever lacking polish. A tough training camp working against Peyton Manning and a stacked crew of receivers could certainly help accelerate the growth process.