Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard went virtually all in on defense in this year’s draft.

He hopes the payoff is worth it.After watching the Colts improve from No. 30 in total defense in 2018 to No. 11 last season http://www.vikingsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-irv-smith-jr.-jersey , Ballard used seven of his first eight picks adding assets for second-year defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus.“I guess now you understand what the plan was. Speed, competition on defense, plain and simple,” Ballard said. “We wanted to get athletic, fast players who fit our mold, which I think we accomplished.”Ballard did what he could to ensure the progression continues.The Colts haven’t produced back-to-back top-20 finishes in total defense since 2013 and 2014 and haven’t posted a top-10 ranking since 2004 when they were No. 4.Now, just months after Andrew Luck led the Colts back to the playoffs and was the overwhelming choice as the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year, Ballard invested heavily on the other side of the ball.“I feel a little defensive today,” team owner Jim Irsay joked as he entered the Colts’ media room. “We really thought those four picks we had on Friday were really, really game-changers for us to make us a better football team.”He didn’t just dip his toe into a deep pool of talented defenders — he dove in head first looking for players who could primarily pressure quarterbacks or hold up in pass coverage.Indy needed to get better in both areas, and Ballard did everything in his power to make it happen. Three times, he swapped picks. He also traded veteran defensive tackle Hassan Ridgeway to Philadelphia for an extra seventh-round choice, No. 246 overall.Ballard also took some calculated risks by selecting Ben Banogu, who played primarily defensive end at TCU. The Colts will try to convert him into a multi-positional linebacker. Indy also plans on using Southern California safety Marvin Tell III at cornerback.But if those experiments fail, Ballard figures the fallback options aren’t much of a gamble.“When I first took the job, I think I told you all we know we’re getting it right when we’re cutting guys and they’re going to play for other teams Alexander Mattison Jersey ,” Ballard said. “When we get our roster to 65 and 54 to 65 is popping up in other places, I know we’re getting it right. We’re not there yet, but we’re a lot closer.”WHO THEY GOTThe defensive run began with cornerback Rock Ya-Sin early in the second round and didn’t stop until late in the final round of the draft Saturday. Along the way, the Colts selected three linebackers — Banogu, Bobby Okereke of Stanford, and E.J. Speed of Tarleton State — two safeties — Khari Willis of Michigan State and Tell — and defensive end Gerri Green of Mississippi State. The Colts took speedy receiver Parris Campbell late with their second-round pick and closed the draft by using seventh-round selections on tackle Jackson Barton of Utah and center Javon Patterson of Mississippi.SURPRISE MOVEColts fans were disappointed when Ballard sent the No. 26 overall pick to Washington for two second-rounders. But the selection of Speed, who played at the Division II level, created the most intrigue. Speed was not a familiar name to most fans because he was not invited to the NFL scouting combine, didn’t play in any college all-star games and said he turned down chances to play at more Big 12 schools so he could be near his adopted brother, who was battling cancer.HOW THEY DIDBallard prefers substance to splash — and this was another draft that reflected his philosophy. Indy thinks Ya-Sin can be a lockdown cornerback, and Ballard filled his most glaring hole on the depth chart by choosing all those linebackers. He also found some depth for the offensive line and, perhaps most important, gave coach Frank Reich a dangerous deep threat who can create mismatches in multiple spots on the offense.WHAT’S NEXT?This weekend is only the start for Indianapolis, and Ballard knows it. Over the past two seasons, he’s plucked key contributors off the waiver wire (starting cornerback Pierre Desir and right guard Mark Glowinski), from other teams’ practice squads (center-guard Evan Boehm) http://www.vikingsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-dru-samia-jersey , and even off the street (safety Mike Mitchell). Plus, the Colts have had at least one undrafted rookie make the roster out of training camp for 20 consecutive seasons — the longest active streak in the league. The first component came Saturday when Ballard announced Indy would pick up the fifth-year option on starting center Ryan Kelly. So expect Ballard to stay busy between now and the Sept. 8 season opener at the Los Angeles Chargers. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP)The Tennessee Titans‘ draft strategy underscores how close they believe they are to competing for a Super Bowl berth.Convinced of their depth elsewhere, the Titans traded up to select defensive players they had long targeted and largely ignored their offense .They ended up with just four draft picks – the fewest of any NFL team this year and the least in franchise history.”Some of these names we drafted are guys we talked about in February,” Titans coach Mike Vrabel said.Vrabel was hired in January to improve a team that went 9-7 and lost to New England in the AFC divisional round after earning its first playoff victory since January 2004 .”I think we are a more talented roster now, and it’s our job,” general manager Jon Robinson said . ”That’s our job, to try to get as many good football players on the team as possible and let them compete for spots.”They didn’t take a single offensive player until drafting Pac-12 career passing leader Luke Falk of Washington State in the sixth round with the 199th overall pick.The Titans’ defensive picks included Alabama linebacker Rashaan Evans in the first round, Boston College outside linebacker Harold Landry in the second round and Arizona defensive back Dane Cruikshank in the fifth. The Titans traded up and gave up draft picks to get each of those three players.That represents a huge change for a team that had taken an offensive player with its first pick every year from 2011-17.Tennessee already had addressed its major offensive concerns in free agency with the additions of running back Dion Lewis , guard/tackle Kevin Pamphile and guard Xavier Su’a-Filo .Evans and Landry boost the front seven, the Titans’ top draft priority with Derrick Morgan and Brian Orakpo entering the final years of their contracts and Avery Williamson having already left for the New York Jets as a free agent.Cruikshank adds depth to the secondary for a defense that ranked 25th against the pass last season. The Titans already released veteran safety Da’Norris Searcy in March, leaving their depth thin behind All-Pro safety Kevin Byard fellow starter Johnathan Cyprien. Tennessee did sign cornerback Malcolm Butler away from New England in March.Other things to know about the Titans’ draft:LONG WAITFalk expected to get taken much earlier. The former walk-on set Pac-12 records in yards passing, total offense, touchdown passes, pass completions and pass attempts.”I think just the word that came to mind would just be `shocked,”’ Falk said. ”It wasn’t exactly how I thought it would play out Daniel Jones Jersey , but I’m very grateful. I’m grateful that a team in Tennessee took a chance on me and is giving me an opportunity to compete and go in there and help the football team.”Falk’s two sisters are aspiring country singers who live in Nashville. Falk gives the Titans someone to groom as a possible backup to Marcus Mariota after signing veteran Blaine Gabbert in March.MAGIC NUMBERThe 6-foot-4 Falk went to the Titans with the 199th overall pick. That’s the same pick New England used on Tom Brady back in 2000. Falk considers himself a big Brady fan.”I just think that we kind of have the same similarities and style of play,” Falk said. ”We are not the most mobile guys. We do stuff in the pocket, creating throws in a small space. We are accurate. He’s the best to do it and somebody I look up to and just try to model my game after. It’s a huge coincidence that it is pick 199 and Tennessee took a shot on me.”VERSATILE CRUIKSHANKAlthough he spent much of his college career at cornerback, Cruikshank says he could play anywhere in the secondary and that NFL teams were primarily viewing him as a safety. The Titans are listing him merely as a defensive back for now and praised Cruikshank’s versatility .”Whatever they need me to play, I’m willing to play,” Cruikshank said. ”I feel like I can do it all.”PICKING FROM THE BESTCruikshank, who is 6-1 and 209 pounds, picked off three passes for Arizona last season. Two of his interceptions came against first-round draft picks Sam Darnold of Southern California and Josh Rosen of UCLA .WHAT ABOUT RECEIVER?The Titans didn’t draft a single wideout and will lean heavily on a batch of young receivers to complement Rishard Matthews, who is entering his seventh NFL season. Tennessee didn’t bring back Eric Decker and signed Michael Campanaro, who’s more of a special teams player with 31 combined receptions in four seasons.That leaves Corey Davis, the fifth pick overall a year ago, along with Tajae Sharpe and Taywan Taylor. Sharpe spent last year on injured reserve, and Taylor is entering his second NFL season.—AP Pro Football Writer Teresa M. Walker contributed to this report.—