Stampede Blue
With the 2017 through 2021 classes already reviewed, the next stop in the Chris Ballard draft review series is 2022. This was a pretty solid class, especially considering the Colts did not have a first-round pick.
The strength of the class is obvious. Alec Pierce developed into a high-level receiver, Bernhard Raimann became a quality starting left tackle, and Rodney Thomas gave the Colts good value from the seventh round. Nick Cross also became a useful starter, even if his departure after the 2025 season hurts the overall evaluation.
The issue is that the class thins out quickly after the top names. Jelani Woods never became the player the Colts hoped for, Eric Johnson was only a rotational piece, Andrew Ogletree has been fine as a depth tight end, and Curtis Brooks never made it to the regular season.
Pierce has become a very good player for the Colts.
It took him some time to get there, and that slow start does affect the grade a bit, but his 2025 season changed the way he should be viewed. Pierce emerged as one of the Colts’ most important offensive players and became a legitimate high-end receiving option. He may not be a true No. 1 in the traditional all-around sense, but he is about as good a No. 2 as you can find, and his ability to stretch the field gives the offense something every team needs.
Pierce can take over games vertically. He changes how defenses align, forces safeties to respect the deep ball, and opens space underneath for other players. That type of role has real value, especially in an offense that needs explosive plays.
The big contract confirms that the Colts see him as a major piece moving forward. He developed, produced, and earned a second deal with the team.
It is hard to give an A or A+ based mostly on one great season, but Pierce has clearly turned into a strong pick.
Grade: A-
Woods is a frustrating miss.
His rookie season showed real promise. He had the size, athleticism, and receiving upside to become the kind of tight end the Colts had been searching for. At a position that was wide open for years before Tyler Warren arrived, Woods had every opportunity to take control of the job.
It just never happened as injuries destroyed the next few seasons, and he never became a meaningful piece of the offense. The flashes from 2022 were not enough to overcome the lack of availability and production after that. For a third-round pick, especially at a position of need, the Colts needed much much more.
He eventually left for the Jets, and the Colts moved on without ever getting the payoff they hoped for.
The rookie season keeps this from being a complete failure, but overall, it was a miss.
Grade: D+
