Audi Forum » The Colts prospect interviews are rolling along as

we approach the NFL Draft. Today’s player interview is Marshall Safety Malik Gant. The Colts could use a tone setter on the back end Nate Hairston Color Rush Jersey , and the..." />Skip to main contentclockmenumore-arrownoyesHorizontal - WhiteStampede Bluean Indianapolis Colts communityLog In or Sign UpLog InSign UpFanpostsFanshotsColtsShopAboutMastheadCommunity GuidelinesStubHubMoreAll 322 blogs on Horizontal - WhiteFanposts Fanshots Colts StoriesScheduleRosterStatsYahoo Colts NewsYahoo Colts Team PageYahoo Colts ReportYahoo Colts Depth ChartYahoo Colts TransactionsYahoo Colts PhotosShop About Masthead Community Guidelines StubHub ✕Filed under:Colts AnalysisInterviewsNFL DraftColts Prospect Interviews: Marshall Safety Malik GantNew,2commentsEDTShareTweetShareShareColts Prospect Interviews: Marshall Safety Malik GantPhoto by Joel Auerbach/Getty ImagesThe Colts prospect interviews are rolling along as we approach the NFL Draft. Today’s player interview is Marshall Safety Malik Gant. The Colts could use a tone setter on the back end, and the hard-hitting Gant would be an excellent fit.The interview will be towards the bottom of the page, as he interviewed exclusively with Stampede Blue to talk about rising up from being a walk on to a star player, why he declared early for this draft, and how he would pair with Malik Hooker on the back end.BackgroundSize:5’11” 209 poundsMeasurables: 40 Time: 4.63 / 10-yard split: 1.61 / Bench Reps: 17 Reps / Vertical Jump: 34.5 inches / Broad Jump: 114 inches / 3-Cone: 7.45 secondsCareer Stats:190 total tackles, 14 tackles for a loss, 1 sack, 2 interceptions, and 13 pass deflections in his career.Round Projection:Rounds 4-5Fit with the Colts:The Colts still have a major need for a safety in this draft despite re-signing Matthias Farley and Clayton Geathers. Geathers has had his injury problems in the past and Farley is coming off of a season-ending injury. Adding a tone setter like Gant would be an excellent addition to the team. He may not be a great athlete, but he makes up for that deficiency with a tireless motor, excellent angles, and top-notch physicality. He is a tone setter on the back end that offenses are always aware of. The addition of Gant, to go along with the safety group the team already has, could make for a fun and physical group.Film RoomMotor and closing speed stand out the most on film. Gant knows how to close ground in a hurry, and plays with a ton of effort on every play.Gant is solid in coverage as well, as he knows how to separate ball from man and be physical with bigger players.Gant is also a big hitter on almost every play (which got me a bit excited in this tweet).InterviewZH: You decided to walk on at Marshall out of high school. Why did you decide to go that route?MG: I didn’t really have any other choices https://www.coltsfanshop.com/Braden-Smith-Jersey , I didn’t have any offers from any other schools. The process was getting really difficult and my mother told me as a last resort she wants me to go to school just for my education, and I got accepted to most schools. Marshall was right down the road and was the cheapest process for me to be able to go to school. Once we got down there for a tour, the opportunity for me to be a walk on showed itself and my mother said it was a great opportunity for me to be able to play football and continue my education.ZH: How did it feel when you finally earned that scholarship last year?MG: It felt great because I was able to relieve my mother of having to pay for school after those first two years. It was just a great feeling because of that aspect.ZH: How did it feel to go from walk on to Team MVP after this past season?MG: It felt great. Not just for myself, but for being able to be a leader for everybody on the team from the walk ons to the people who get every single rep. Just being able to lead by example and show people that you can come from anything was really important for me.ZH: You decided to declare for this draft early, declaring after your redshirt Junior season. What went into deciding to leave college early?MG: I would say just the opportunity to be able to chase my dream and to be able to contribute and give back to my mother. She put the money into my dream those first two years when I was a walk on and helped me reach the point where I am at right now. Seeing the toll it took on her paying for those first two years, I really want to be able to give back to mother for everything she did for me.ZH: Going to your film, you don’t just tackle players. You tackle through them. How important is it to be a consistent tackler who leaves a mark on players when you are tackling?MG: The main thing that I think people shy away from is that hitting someone sticks in a person’s mind for an entire game. We are all human, you know. If you have to think about or second guess playing the same same way that you have always played, especially for offensive players, that slows down the way they usually play and that is an advantage for the defense and the entire team even. That is just the advantage of putting it into their head that if they go my direction, I’m going to make the tackle. ZH: Would you label yourself as a tone setter of a defense?MG: Yeah, most definitely. I set the tone for the entire defense on every play.ZH: A major aspect of playing safety, especially for strong safeties, is the ability to cover tight ends. Do you think you match up well with these athletic tight ends in the NFL?MG: Yeah definitely. I would say being able to be so versatile, with playing in the box and checking running backs and tight ends and slot receivers, is a strength for me. Being able to come down and play man or play zone is something I’m very prepared for. I’m fluid in my hips and I think I’d be great doing that.ZH: Who in the NFL do you model your game after/compare yourself to?MG: If I could compare myself to anyone, I would say Earl Thomas Jabaal Sheard Jersey , who recently signed with the Ravens. He is just versatile. He can play anywhere on the field and there is no drop off in any position you put him at.ZH: How well do you think that you would pair with a ballhawking free safety in Malik Hooker?MG: I would say that I would be great because with my skill and his play as a ballhawk, we would be perfect with each other. You got a person who can play in the box and stop the run, when it is necessary, and check the tight ends and running backs and stop the short game, which helps out on the back end and allows him to roam back there. We could also switch roles even and make the defense even more fluid.ZH: Last question for you. On and off of the field, what is my team getting if they draft Malik Gant? What makes you stand out in this class?MG: If you look at my stats and you look at my style of play, there isn’t any safety that matches up with my versatility. Everybody is a safety who can play on the back end or play in the post but no one in this entire class this year has played as many snaps in the box as I have or has made as many stops for negative yardage at the line of scrimmage as I have. I don’t think anybody else compares to my ability as a safety around the line of scrimmage. CINCINNATI (AP) — With a plucky showing by their backups, the Colts wrapped up an unsettling preseason and moved on from Andrew Luck.Now, it’s time for the rested regulars to see what they can do without their longtime leader.A pair of quarterbacks who were low on the depth chart before Luck’s retirement led Indianapolis to a 13-6 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday night, the Colts’ only preseason win.Article continues below ...Luck retired a week earlier after a 27-17 loss to Chicago, frustrated by his inability to get healthy. His postgame announcement severely dented the Colts’ playoff chances and elevated Jacoby Brissett — 4-11 as a starter with Indianapolis — to lead the offense.Brissett had a lot of company as he watched from the sideline Thursday. There were large swaths of empty seats as both teams rested their starters and key backups for the final preseason game.For the Colts, it was a chance to assess Brissett’s backups.“We’re evaluating all options as you would expect,” coach Frank Reich said. “That’ll play out the next couple of days.”Chad Kelly must serve a two-game suspension for violating the league’s personal conduct policy. He started and scrambled 7 yards for a touchdown in the first half, going 13 of 16 for 138 yards with an interception on an underthrown pass.Kelly signed with the Colts in May after pleading guilty to a second-degree trespassing charge. He was arrested last October after entering the home of someone he didn’t know following a Halloween party.Phillip Walker, who spent the past two seasons on the Colts’ practice squad, played the second half and was 8 of 16 for 90 yards.Third-round pick Parris Campbell made his debut and caught three passes for 42 yards. He missed most of training camp and the first three preseason games with a hamstring injury. His 31-yard catch and run set up Kelly’s touchdown scramble.“I felt like myself again,” Campbell said. “Those are plays I’m used to making.”The Bengals rested Andy Dalton and backup Ryan Finley Pierre Desir Color Rush Jersey , a fourth-round pick who won the No. 2 job with his strong showings in the first three preseason games. Jake Dolegala played the entire game and was 28 of 43 for 254 yards.Bengals first-year coach Zac Taylor used one word to describe the preseason: “Necessary.”The Bengals’ starting offense was erratic during a 1-3 preseason while adjusting to a new playbook.“There were times we showed flashes we have the ability to score points,” tight end C.J. Uzomah said. “At certain times, it’s the preseason, we needed to work out the kinks.”ONLY WINThe Colts avoided their first winless preseason since 2014, when they eventually lost to New England in the AFC championship game.NO SHOWSThe Bengals distributed 35,247 tickets for the game, the smallest crowd for any of the 28 preseason games between the Colts and Bengals. The previous low was 39,520 for the fourth preseason game last year, when the Colts also played at Paul Brown Stadium.NICE DEBUTCampbell was targeted four times and had three catches. His 42 yards receiving led the team.“It was great for his confidence,” Reich said. “He looked good. It was really good for him to get out there and get a half of football in.”OFF TARGETCincinnati’s Tristan Vizcaino made field goals of 22 and 38 yards, but he hit the left upright on a 55-yard try and was wide left from 37 yards. Indianapolis’ Cole Hedlund was good from 30 and 36 yards, and he was wide right from 45 yards.SEEKING FIRST WINThe Bengals lost both of their home preseason games under Taylor. His first chance to get a home regular-season win will be Sunday, Sept. 15 against San Francisco. Cincinnati plays three of its first four games on the road.FRUSTRATIONG FINISH FOR BENGALSThe Bengals had a 6-yard touchdown pass wiped out by an offensive pass interference on Mason Schreck with 4:01 left. The drive ended with Quinton Flowers dropped for a loss on fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line.INJURIESColts: WR Marcus Johnson sustained a concussion in the third quarter after he was hit hard on a 17-yard catch.Bengals: Rookie RB Rodney Anderson hurt his right knee in the first half and didn’t return. The sixth-round pick missed most of last season at Oklahoma with a knee injury. … LB Malik Jefferson was ill and didn’t play.UP NEXTColts: Open at the Chargers on Sunday, Sept. 8.Bengals: Open at Seattle on Sept. 8.