The Indianapolis Colts drafted Zach Banner out of USC in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL Draft. Just over four months later, he’s been cut.
We have waived/released the following players: https://t.co/qzqzeeDzNY pic.twitter.com/OLRp5QEJXQ
— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) September 3, 2017
It’s worth pointing out that many people who analyze college players for a living thought the Colts reached when they drafted Banner in the fourth round. However, he had been listed as the second-string right tackle for much of the summer and it’s rare for drafted rookies to be cut, especially after making it through the initial big cut dates like Banner did on Saturday.
A huge man at 6-foot-9, 360 pounds, Banner most definitely is a project. He was very raw coming out of USC and may never be better than a backup. It remains to be seen if he lands on an NFL roster this year, or on a practice squad.
One thing is certain, rookie general manager Chris Ballard wishes he had that pick back. He can’t afford to waste many more draft picks if he’s going to fix the mess Ryan Grigson left behind.