Despite having used a Day 3 pick on a quarterback in the NFL draft the year prior, the Indianapolis Colts felt it was right to spend a sixth-round selection on Sam Ehlinger out of Texas.
Ehlinger will be battling with 2020 fourth-rounder Jacob Eason for the backup role behind starter Carson Wentz. While there are some kinks to work out in his game, Ehlinger seems to be an easy fit with what the team wants in the locker room.
“We got a chance to interview him at the Senior Bowl. And really everything lined up with how the school vouched for him. Really, he was like a blue-collar guy for us,” said Colts area scout Anthony Coughlan. “I thought he was a no-brainer Horseshoe fit, even from the Zoom calls over the summer in training camp with their staff, everybody just lights up about the kid, his competitive spirit, work ethic, mental toughness, physical toughness.”
It’s been made known plenty that character is a big part of the evaluation when it comes to rookie for the Colts. Ehlinger seemingly has that in spades from how excited the Colts have been this offseason talking about him.
Eason will be looking to prove his worth as well after sitting the entire 2020 season learning behind Philip Rivers and Jacoby Brissett.
Part of that character that the Colts fell in love with has to do with the “it” factor.
“He’s got the “it” factor. To me, it’s the physical, mental toughness, the drive to push when it gets hard just to figure it out, problem solve and find a way to gut it out and win,” said Coughlan. “And he’s got a really unique story just with growing up with his family, really tough with his father, and became the man of the house at a young age and he really just carried that throughout his life and continued to conduct himself in a professional manner through high school, through college.
It will be interesting to see who wins the battle during training camp, but Ehlinger is certainly a favorite when it comes to the coaching staff and scouting department.