Bill Polian: Colts Should Have Drafted Rodger Saffold Over Jerry Hughes

It’s not often that a team acknowledges a mistake, and it’s even more rare for an individual to do so publicly. Shockingly, both happened on Monday night. Stampede Blue, via Pro Football Talk, was listening to Bill Polian’s radio show and heard a surprising statement.

Asked a question by a caller, Polian, who is the Colts’ president, said the team made a mistake drafting Jerry Hughes over Rodger Saffold. Saffold was selected early in the second round by the St. Louis Rams and has been playing left tackle. Polian says the team erroneously evaluated Saffold as strictly a right tackle while the rookie has proved he can be an effective left tackle.

In contrast, Jerry Hughes was taken 31st overall by the Colts and has just three tackles on the season. The rookie defensive end from TCU has been inactive a good portion of the season, something that normally doesn’t happen with healthy first-round picks. Not only did the Colts overrate Hughes, but they also underrated Saffold.

While the miss hurts the team, Polian shouldn’t beat himself up — he’s hit several home runs including Austin Collie in the 4th round last year and Pierre Garcon in the 6th the year before. Oh yeah, he also took that quarterback from Tennessee instead of the big-armed prospect from Washington State. Everyone has their misses and this one obviously has cost the Colts, but Polian’s record speaks for itself.