Sports
Colts Pick Former OU DE Tarell Basham in NFL Draft
By: Russ Heltman
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Ohio Football’s Tarell Basham will soon be calling Indianapolis home.
The Indianapolis Colts selected Ohio’s all-time leader in sacks as the 80th overall pick in the 2017 NFL draft. Basham joins a Colts’ defensive line that ranked tied-19th in sacks last season, a number the franchise expects Basham to help.
Basham is the first Ohio player drafted since 2014 when Travis Carrie was taken with the 219th pick by the Oakland Raiders. Basham is the second-highest drafted player under head coach Frank Solich. The top honor belongs to current Pittsburgh Steeler Mike Mitchell, who was drafted with the 47th pick in 2009.
Basham impressed analysts throughout the draft process with his combination of size, athleticism, and explosiveness on the edge of the Ohio defense. On top of all that, he has shown willingness to contribute to any franchises special teams unit. All of that was able to outweigh his lack of technique in the eyes of his new team.
The Colts are bringing in a player that started every game and anchored the fifth-best rushing defense in the country last season. All while setting the single-season (11.5) and career sack (29.5) records for the Bobcats.
Basham is expected to play outside linebacker in the Colts 3-4 defensive scheme and expected to compete for a starting role from day one.