German DB Dabo ranks as Colts most intriguing rookie

May 9—INDIANAPOLIS — Marcel Dabo will meet his new teammates for the first time Wednesday night, after a roughly 16-hour flight from his native Germany.

To say the 6-foot-1, 200-pound defensive back will be the most intriguing player in the Indianapolis Colts' rookie mini-camp this weekend would be a massive understatement.

Dabo was allocated to Indianapolis as part of the NFL's International Player Pathway program and won't count against the 90-man offseason roster or the practice squad limit should he be carried into the regular season.

The 22-year-old ran a 4.42-second 40-yard dash and posted a 40.5-inch vertical leap during Arizona State's pro day in March, which suggests he has the freakish athletic ability to fit in with the Colts' rookie draft class.

And he already has one year of professional football under his belt — recording 28 tackles and one interception last year with the Stuttgart Surge and being named the European League of Football's defensive rookie of the year.

"The Colts are getting a player that is very athletic," Dabo said during a Zoom call Monday ahead of his return to the United States. "I think I can do everything on the field. I just have to be put in the right position and be able to take my athletic ability and put that on the field. And I think the Colts have the coaches to help me with getting my athletic ability onto the field, and I'm really looking forward to it."

Dabo made a top-30 visit to Indianapolis in late March and spoke with general manager Chris Ballard, head coach Frank Reich, defensive coordinator Gus Bradley, defensive backs coach Ron Milus and assistant defensive backs coach Mike Mitchell.

He came away from that meeting feeling good about his fit with the Colts and stayed connected virtually with Mitchell throughout the draft process.

Dabo was available to all 32 teams in last month's draft, but he had no expectations.

After going undrafted, he was allocated to Indianapolis as part of the IPP program that has placed more than 50 players with 18 teams since its inception in 2017. Among the program's alumni are Philadelphia Eagles offensive tackle Jordan Mailata and Las Vegas Raiders fullback Jakob Johnson.

The AFC South was randomly selected to take part in the program this year, and each of its four teams had a player allocated to the roster.

Dabo was happy to land with the Colts.

"I talked a lot with the defensive coordinator, Gus Bradley, and I really like his defense," Dabo said. "He's actually the original player caller of the Legion of Boom."

The reference to the Seattle Seahawks' dominant defenses of the 2010s is proof Dabo has done his homework. So is his reverence for Indianapolis' defensive backs room.

During a one-hour interview with international media — during which Dabo seamlessly answered questions in English and German — he also made reference to new Colts cornerback Stephon Gilmore's defensive player of the year award from 2019 and Kenny Moore's proficiency in the slot.

"I'm just looking forward to learn from them because I think I can still learn a lot," Dabo said. "So I'm just looking forward to basically soak everything in and, yeah, just be ready when my time comes."

Dabo is mature enough to know there's a lot he still doesn't know.

The German professional football community is a tight-knit group, and Dabo already has had the opportunity to speak with Bjoern Werner — a 2013 first-round pick by the Colts who appeared in 38 games with 16 starts over three NFL seasons.

The duo discussed topics ranging from the Indiana winter weather to some essential life skills Dabo will need to fit into his new home.

"It starts from creating a bank account, for example," Dabo said. "These are some small things that you don't really know, but there are people that have been there before that can help you with that."

The transition on the field also will require an attention to detail.

Dabo's love for American football began when he took part in a three-week exchange program with Hamilton High School in Sussex, Wisconsin. He had the opportunity to watch a Wisconsin game against Rutgers at Camp Randall Stadium and to attend a high school football practice.

Dabo attempted to draw the attention of college recruiters in the years that followed, but he had trouble standing out in massive camps with 200 to 300 athletes while he was still learning the basics of the game.

He hooked on with the Stuttgart Scorpions' youth program, however, and that set him on a path toward the ELF.

His raw athleticism caught the attention of the IPP program, and he spent 10 weeks in Arizona working out at former NFL offensive lineman LeCharles Bentley's academy under the direction of defensive backs coach Preston Hill.

The pro day results that followed proved he has an athletic base worth taking a risk on, and the rest is up to him.

Dabo knows there are significant challenges ahead. In Germany, his team practiced just three times a week and there was no film study or individual positional coaching.

The IPP exemption allows him to essentially take a redshirt season as he adjusts, but that's not where Dabo is setting his aspirations.

"I want to make an impact right away, and that's what I've told coaches — that I don't want to rely on the IPP program that much," he said. "I just want to make an impact on Sundays, and that's what I think I'm capable of doing — basically in special teams in the beginning.

"So I don't consider myself an international (exemption) in terms of coaches looking at me. Of course, I'm an international player, but I really want to make the roster as soon as possible."