INDIANAPOLIS - Tyler Hughes didn’t bury the lead when he sized up Kentucky guard Jalen Farmer.
“You can’t run through him.”
For an offensive lineman, that kind of evaluation travels. It speaks to power, anchor, and the sort of physical presence that makes life miserable for defenders trying to work through the middle of a line. Hughes, the Colts’ Midwest area scout, sees all of that in Farmer, a 6-4, 312-pound guard whose athletic profile jumps off the page.
“This kid can run,” Hughes begins in explaining why he had so much intrigue on the 6-4, 312-pound guard.
“He’s got over 250 pounds of lean mass on him, and he ran (the 40-yard dash in the 4.9s). This kid can open up and run, he’s got quickness, and he’s tough to go through.
He’s strong as hell, so that’s one of the most intriguing things about him. You can’t run through him.”
Farmer’s path to Indianapolis starts at Florida, where he spent two seasons with limited playing time before staying in the SEC and transferring to Kentucky. That move gave him a runway, and he made the most of it, starting 24 straight games at right guard.
There’s also some thought that he could eventually move around a bit more.
, and actually think there’s some position flexibility in potentially kicking out to tackle.
For now though, Farmer is going to play guard.
That matters because his chance to push Matt Goncalves at right guard was interrupted during minicamp, when a minor knee injury kept the rookie out. And for offensive linemen, the real test doesn’t come until the pads go on anyway, which happens during the second week of training camp.
Even if Indianapolis rolls with the expected starting five - LT-Bernhard Raimann, LG-Quenton Nelson, C-Tanor Bortolini, RG-Matt Goncalves, RT-Jalen Travis - there’s still a real need for a sixth lineman. That’s where Farmer could enter the picture.
The Colts didn’t make any notable outside free-agent additions to the offensive line this offseason, and they appear comfortable with Farmer as a possible piece if the need arises this fall.
“We think very highly of Farmer,” Chris Ballard says. “He’s a big, powerful man, and he’s going to be a really good addition to our o-line, not only from a talent standpoint, but also from a cultural standpoint.
He fits what we look for, and we also think he’s got some swing at tackle. So, it’ll be nice to add him in the mix and watch him compete.”
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