Few teams enter draft season carrying emotional whiplash quite like the Indianapolis Colts. For half of 2025, they looked like the AFC’s most dangerous sleeper. By January, though, they were a cautionary tale. That dramatic swing has turned the 2026 NFL Draft into a veritable recalibration.
Chris Ballard and Shane Steichen now have to restore late-season durability, inject defensive speed, and future-proof the offense. As post-Super Bowl mock drafts gain traction, Indianapolis is expected to target explosive playmakers and defensive disruptors who can stabilize both trenches and tempo.
Record-book collapse
The 2025 Colts season was a historic tale of two halves that ended in a permanent spot in the NFL record books for all the wrong reasons. The team began the year as the league’s biggest surprise. They surged to a dominant 8-2 start behind a high-powered offense and a revitalized Daniel Jones.
However, the momentum vanished following a Week 11 bye. Jones suffered a fractured fibula and eventually a season-ending Achilles tear. That triggered a catastrophic seven-game losing streak to end the year. Despite boasting an elite point differential for much of the season, the Colts finished 8-9. They became the first team in NFL history to post a losing record after an 8-2 start. Sadly, they officially missed the playoffs for the fifth consecutive season.
Roster priorities
Heading into the 2026 NFL Draft, the Colts face a critical pivot-point. They must replenish a roster that was gutted by late-season injuries without any first-round capital. The most glaring priority is the defensive front seven, specifically at linebacker and edge rusher. Offensively, providing reliable protection and additional weapons for a recovering Jones or a potential successor is paramount. That placed a premium on interior offensive line depth and wide receiver reinforcements. This is especially true with Alec Pierce hitting free agency. Finally, the secondary requires a ball-hawk presence at safety to complement Sauce Gardner.
With a plethora of needs, the Colts might go in any direction in the draft.
WR Omar Cooper Jr, Indiana
Sean Ackerman, Sports Illustrated
Among the most consistent projections in early mock drafts is Indiana wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. The hometown narrative carries weight, but the football fit is even more compelling.
Cooper arrives fresh off a breakout collegiate campaign. His 937 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns underscored a versatile deployment profile capable of winning in the slot. He can stretch seams and generate yards on manufactured touches. For Steichen's offense, Cooper’s ability to create separation without requiring perfect protection makes him a high-efficiency addition.
With Pierce’s free agency looming and Michael Pittman Jr operating as the possession anchor, Cooper would supply the missing juice element. He can turn short completions into drive-altering gains. In many ways, he represents the offensive insurance policy Indianapolis lacked when injuries mounted late in 2025.
S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Toledo
Brad Menendez, Draft Countdown
If Indianapolis leans defense, Toledo safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren has emerged as one of the draft cycle’s fastest risers. His profile fits the exact archetype Chris Ballard has historically targeted. That's small-school production paired with elite physical traits.
McNeil-Warren’s resume is built on disruption. Double-digit forced fumbles and five interceptions highlight a play style rooted in anticipation and violence at the catch point. He can be deployed as a box enforcer or deep rover. As such, he brings the takeaway mentality the Colts defense lacked during its late-season unraveling. Adding a hybrid safety capable of rotating across coverage shells would give Lou Anarumo schematic flexibility.
DE Zion Young, Missouri
Missouri edge rusher Zion Young represents the type of developmental pass-rush investment Indianapolis could prioritize. With Kwity Paye approaching free agency, adding a long-term edge presence becomes essential.
Young’s 2025 breakout was highlighted by 6.5 sacks. That signaled a late but meaningful progression curve. At 6-foot-5 and 262 pounds, his frame already meets NFL trench specifications. His run-defense discipline also stands out as an immediate contribution pathway.
Sure, his pass-rush refinement remains a work in progress. However, Indianapolis can afford patience. The return of DeForest Buckner to full health, combined with Laiatu Latu’s ascending trajectory, would allow Young to develop situationally. In a rotation-based front, his ceiling as a power-edge disruptor makes him a logical Day 2 projection.
LB Caleb Banks, Georgia
Florida defensive tackle Caleb Banks rounds out the Colts' mock classes. His scouting profile reflects both intrigue and unfinished development. That's precisely the type of moldable talent Ballard has historically embraced.
Banks flashes a quick first step and the raw strength to neutralize single blocks. Consistency, though, remains his defining hurdle. His high center of gravity allows double teams to displace him. Yet the upside remains evident.
Banks’ length and hand power could translate into interior disruption. Viewed through a long-term lens, he represents a developmental swing capable of reinforcing trench depth. He can initially play behind established veterans while being coached into a more complete interior defender.
Explosiveness with durability
As mock draft momentum accelerates, the Colts’ projected class reveals a franchise prioritizing balance. They need offensive explosiveness, defensive playmaking, and trench sustainability. Cooper injects play-speed. McNeil-Warren upgrades takeaway potential. Young and Banks fortify the defense's long-term viability.
More importantly, each projection addresses the same underlying lesson from 2025. Early-season brilliance means little without structural depth. Indianapolis didn’t just lose games down the stretch. They also lost functional identity once injuries mounted.
The 2026 draft, therefore, isn’t about chasing star power. It’s about building insulation around a roster that proved dangerously top-heavy. If the Colts draft well, they’ll be built to finish.
