As for E.J. Speed, he definitely passes the eye test at 6-foot-4, 227 pounds. Now, he’s turned himself into one of the most productive linebackers in the National Football League. Especially Speed, due to his extreme length and quickness. He’s always around the ball, and where he’s shown to be most effective on the field is making impact plays. Drafted in the fifth round of the 2019 draft out of Tarleton State, Speed was an immediate special teams demon. From there, he established himself as one of the best members of the Indianapolis Colts’ defense.
In 2023, E.J. Speed earned playing time over the injured former All-Pro Shaquille Leonard, signifying his growing importance to the Colts. His remarkable performance earned him a two-year contract extension, even though he had only made six career starts at the time. Speed’s defensive prowess came to the forefront as he tallied 93 solo tackles, good enough for third most in the league. His knack for forcing fumbles—he’s forced six in his career—speaks to his ability to disrupt opponents’ plays.
Speed’s journey hasn’t been an easy one. In 2024, he missed more tackles than any other player that season. This contributed to allowing some large chunk plays for the other teams. Even with all the adversity, Speed enjoyed a marvelous season. It was his second year as a full-time starter for the Colts, and boy did he make an impact. He concluded the 2022 season with 142 tackles which ranked him 12th in the NFL rankings. Additionally, he logged seven tackles for loss and five pass deflections.
E.J. Speed is a hard worker who is continually trying to refine his trade and address areas of weakness. He has proven to be a consistently great piece to the Colts’ defense. His speed, length and quickness combine to give him a predatory range that creates constant havoc and threat to offenses. Moreover, his ball hawking skills that allow him to bait QBs into mistakes greatly improve his defense.
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