INDIANAPOLIS COLTS WEEKLY PRESS RELEASE

CAREER TRANSACTIONS:
• Selected by the Colts in the third-round (86th overall) of the 2013 NFL Draft.
2013 (COLTS):
• Participated on special teams in his first career NFL contest in the team’s regular season opener against Oakland (9/8).
• In a Week 2 contest against Miami (9/15), filled in for an injured Donald Thomas in the first quarter and helped the Colts record 133
rushing yards and a 5.1 average. Also blocked for quarterback Andrew Luck to throw for 321 yards and one touchdown.
• Made the first start of his NFL career at left guard in the team’s Week 3 contest at San Francisco (9/22). Blocked for a Colts rushing
attack that posted 184 net rushing yards, the third consecutive week the team posted 100-plus rushing yards. Was part of an offensive
line that allowed only 1.0 sack in the victory.
• Started at left guard in the team’s Week 4 victory at Jacksonville (9/29). Opened rushing lanes for the Colts to top 100 net rushing yards
for the fourth consecutive week (157). Also blocked for quarterback Andrew Luck who registered 257 passing yards and two touchdowns
in the win.
• In a Week 5 victory against Seattle (10/6), started at left guard and was part of an offensive line that blocked for the Colts to tally 317 net
yards of offense. Also opened rushing lanes for Indianapolis to generate 109 net rushing yards, marking the team’s fifth consecutive
game with 100-plus rushing yards.
• Started at left guard in the team’s Week 6 loss at San Diego (10/14). Provided rushing lanes for the Colts to tally 74 rushing yards while
blocking for quarterback Andrew Luck to throw for 202 yards.
• Assisted quarterback Andrew Luck in throwing for 228 yards while tying his single-game career-high with four total touchdowns (three
passing, one rushing). Also blocked for a Colts rushing attack that tallied 121 yards, the team’s sixth rushing performance of over 100
yards this season.
• In a Week 9 comeback victory at Houston (11/3), blocked for quarterback Andrew Luck to throw for 271 yards and three touchdowns as
the Colts scored points on their first four possessions of the second half.
COLLEGE:
• Played in the 2013 Senior Bowl.
• An All-Big Ten second-team choice by the league’s coaches and an honorable mention selection by the media in 2012.
• Played in 42 career games, making 35 starts at both guard and tackle.
• Helped lead Illinois to back-to-back bowl victories in 2010 (Texas Bowl) and 2011 (Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl).
• Helped pave the way for the Big Ten’s top rushing offense in 2010 (241.1 ypg). The Illini broke school records for points in a season
(423) and points per game (32.54) that year.
PERSONAL:
• Earned first-team all-state honors as well as first-team all-conference and all-county accolades at Oberlin (Ohio) High School.
• Ranked as the No. 34 offensive tackle in the nation and No. 29 in the state of Ohio by Rivals.com.
• Was named the Lorain County Lineman of the Year.
• A one-time Idaho state heavyweight wrestling champion.
• Ranked third in the state of Ohio in wrestling as a heavyweight.
• Moved to Oberlin from Idaho for his senior year of high school.
• Majored in sociology at Illinois.
CAREER GP/GS:
2013: 8/6
TOTAL: 8/6
HUGH THORNTON
Guard 6-3 334 Illinois
69
NFL Exp: Rookie
How Acquired: D3 – 2013 (86th overall)
Born: 6/28/91
GP/GS (Postseason): 8/6 (0/0)