Angerer to play 'major role' for Colts; Spievey surprised by Lions; Chiefs pick Moeaki

Indianapolis Colts President Bill Polian said former Iowa linebacker Pat Angerer will challenge right away for playing time, just moments after selecting Angerer in the second round.

"Hopefully he can come in and play a major role for us in nickel, special teams," Polian said. "We felt needed a very quality backup for Gary (Brackett) there.

"This is a player that's going to help our club, no doubt about it. He was thr right player on our board at that time."

The Colts selected Angerer No. 63 overall, just three picks higher than the Detroit Lions picked up former Iowa cornerback Amari Spievey. The Lions tabbed Spievey with the second pick in the third round.

Angerer, a Bettendorf native, led the Big Ten in tackles and was named an All-American after the season. Three times Angerer (5-11, 235 pounds) was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week.

"So many scouts around the league when they talk about this guy they invoke the name of a certain middle linebacker from Texas Tech (Zach Thomas)," NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock said. "This guys ia a downhill kid that understands how to think in the run game."

"This is one of those Iowa kids, he had five interceptions as a middle linebacker." 

Angerer was a first-team All-Big Ten linebacker this year.

"He's in the mold of all the guys we have on our team, tough, hard-nosed, physical guy," Polian said. "To steal a phrase from coach (Jim Caldwell), smart, fast and physical ... and the fact he's a Hawkeye didn't hurt."

Angerer joins former Hawkeyes Dallas Clark, Bob Sanders and Mitch King on the Colts' roster. Caldwell also played for the Hawkeyes and was a graduate assistant at Iowa in the 1970s.

The Lions drafted Spievey (5-11, 195) with the second pick in the third round.

"He's quicker than fast," NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock said. "He's a Cover-2, redirect, press at the line of scrimmage corner that tackles extremely well.

"He's technically proficient and he'll play special teams."

Spievey was a first-team All-Big Ten cornerback last year for Iowa. He left the Hawkeyes after his junior season.

"The one thing about Spievey when you look at the Iowa coaching staff they were very high on his athletic ability," former player and current NFL Network analyst Corey Chavous said. "I think he's a guy who's best football is ahead of him."

Spievey joins DeVries as former Hawkeyes with the Lions. The Lions were one of the worst defenses last year, and Spievey will have a chance to start right away.

"It excites me a lot," Spievey said. "It's an opportunity to start but, of course, I've got to come in and earn my spot and earn any job I can. I just want to come in and work hard."

Spievey told reporters he was shocked when the Lions selected him. Spievey didn't visit the Lions before the draft and didn't not have any discussions with them before the selection.

"(They told me) the reason why they didn't communicate with me is because they didn't want other teams to know they were interested in me," Spievey said.

The Kansas City Chiefs traded up to draft former Iowa tight end Tony Moeaki with the 93rd pick overall (third round). Moeaki visited the Chiefs before the draft.

Links:

http://www.colts.com/sub.cfm?page=video&content=f0ade95a-0e07-475d-8a30-290e72a1c64f

http://www.detroitlions.com/index-home.html