Jaylon

Carlies

He was expected to be the other starting Colts linebacker next to Zaire Franklin, but Carlies did not play a single preseason snap while dealing with recovery from an offseason shoulder surgery. Carlies will miss at least the first four weeks of the season. Longtime Bengal Joe Bachie might be the favorite to step in as Indy’s LB2 at the start of the season.

Carlies started six of the 10 games he appeared in last season for the Colts, and totaled 36 tackles, two TFLs, and one sack in his rookie campaign. The second-year pro moved from safety to linebacker in his first season and dealt with an ankle injury that caused him to miss multiple weeks, but Ballard said the team expects him to be ready by training camp. Carlies has a chance to build on a successful rookie campaign and establish himself as an every-down starter once healthy.

The fifth-round rookie was starting in place of an injured E.J. Speed. Before Week 7, Carlies had been earning decent PFF grades on 15-20 weekly snaps.

Carlies was a three-star wide receiver entering college and Missouri moved him to cornerback and then safety but now the Colts will move him to linebacker. His 6'3" 230-pound frame with long 34 1/2-inch arms reminded the Colts of linebacker E.J. Speed, who was initially a wide receiver at Tarleton State. The Colts believe in their coaching staff to teach guys “to play the run... to be physical,” said defensive coordinator Gus Bradley. “The tougher part is the change in direction, understanding pass concepts. With knowing that for years now, we have looked at safeties (to play linebacker)” and Carlies will be another in the line. The Colts also moved rookie safety Jaylin Simpson back to cornerback and are trying former Kansas quarterback Jason Bean at wide receiver.

Carlies (6’3/227) was picked on frequently in pass coverage and allowed a catch on 72.2 percent of the targets he faced. Opposing receivers churned out 1,036 yards and 10 against Carlies over four seasons, which will make him difficult to trust in coverage at the next level. He also had a 15.9 percent missed tackle rate for his career and has drawn criticism for his poor angles when closing on defenders. While he’s struggled at times in coverage, Carlies has shown good hands when given a chance to make a play on the ball. He totaled nine interceptions in his career. Carlies is viewed as more of a safety/linebacker hybrid but could be asked to play strictly as a linebacker once coaches get a closer look at him.

Carlies (6'2/184) received a bit of Power 5 interest beyond that of Missouri, with Miami, Pitt and Syracuse among the other programs which extended offers to the Winter Garden, Florida, native. 247Sports’ Steve Wiltfong writes that Carlies has shown “big-play ability” in terms of the his ability to work down field. On the 247Sports composite board, Carlies ranks as the No. 164 prospect in the state of Florida for the 2020 cycle.