Getty Sports Illustrated's Conor Orr called a defensive lineman the most underrated player for head coach Frank Reich and the Indianapolis Colts.
Players from the Indianapolis Colts have received recognition from the ESPN best-of lists that have used opinions from insiders around the league to rank the best players at each position. On those lists, both inside linebacker Darius Leonard and guard Quenton Nelson were ranked as the best players at their respective positions.
But who is Indianapolis’ most underrated player? Staff writer Conor Orr of Sports Illustrated writes that it’s defensive tackle Grover Stewart.
“Stewart saved the Colts almost 70 total rushing yards by his presence on the field last year, according to NFL GSIS data,” Orr wrote. “Teams running the ball against Indianapolis without Stewart gained almost 0.2 yards extra per carry.
“Over the course of a long season, that matters.”
Orr picked one underrated player from each AFC team in an article on June 23. Stewart was his choice for the Colts.
ALL the latest Colts news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Colts newsletter here!
Stewart Growing Into Dominant Force
The Colts have defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, who ESPN’s best-of lists rated as the fourth-best defensive tackle in the league, and defensive end Yannick Ngakoue. Both of those players have posted at least 7.0 sacks in each of the last four seasons.
Those are the two defenders along the Colts defensive front that are most likely to draw double teams this upcoming season. But Orr writes that opposing offenses can’t forget about Stewart.
“What’s cool about Stewart, the former Albany Great Dane, is that he’s become a good enough defensive player that he can’t be left single blocked, given how heavy-handed he’s become and how destructive he can be simply romping his way into the backfield,” Orr wrote.
Orr also called Stewart “the best pairing” at defensive tackle for Buckner since his Super Bowl appearance with the San Francisco 49ers.
With opposing offensive lines worried about Buckner and Ngakoue, Stewart could be in line to make more impactful plays this season.
Stewart Excelling as Run Stopper & Pass Rusher
First and foremost, Stewart is considered a run stopper. He stands at 6-foot-4 and 315 pounds as an interior defensive lineman, and he only has 4.5 sacks in 79 career NFL games.
But the impact Stewart can make as a pass rusher was part of why Orr labeled him as the most underrated Colts player.
“Stewart played on almost 60% of the Colts’ snaps and was not a run-exclusive player, affecting the passing game with his long limbs and comfort moving around a mass of bodies trying to get hands on him.”
In Indianapolis’ new defensive system, Stewart may have more opportunities to get to the quarterback and record counting statistics. From 2019-21, coach Gus Bradley called fewer blitzes than any other defensive coordinator in the league. More often than not, the Colts are likely to bring only four rushers this season.
Even so, Stewart could see single blocking assignments with Ngakoue and Buckner likely drawing more attention from opposing offensive lines. Stewart should have more time to get to quarterbacks than in past years too with seven defenders in coverage.