5 Most Intriguing Colts for 2026 Season

Tanor Bortolini was tasked with starting five games during his 2024 rookie season after long-time standout leader, Ryan Kelly, was in and out with injuries.

Bortolini showed glimpses of a starter for years to come, albeit with room to improve, mostly in pass-protection.

However, after Kelly took up a contract with the Minnesota Vikings, Bortolini became the man in the middle. What he did was turn that glimpse in 2024 into a full-blown blinding light.

Bortolini was one of the NFL's best centers, amplifying his run-blocking efficiency while allowing an impressive zero sacks on 566 pass-blocking snaps.

2026 will be a lot of fun to watch for Bortolini, because if he continues to climb after such a fantastic 2025 season, he might become an outright star for Indy's offensive line at arguably the most crucial position.

Hunter Wohler | Promise to Become Highly Versatile Piece

The Colts used their last pick (232nd) of the 2025 NFL draft to take the University of Wisconsin safety, Hunter Wohler.

Wohler's four years as a Badger produced 229 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, three interceptions, 2.0 sacks, and 13 pass breakups in 43 games.

What was more interesting was where Wohler played. Below are his snap counts by position during his final year with the Badgers.

• Safety - 228
• Slot - 114
• Box Linebacker - 308
• Defensive Line - 20
• Cornerback - 4

Wohler is a Swiss Army Knife and can be deployed all over the defense, not to mention he can play a key role on special teams.

Wohler was cooking during training camp and the joint practice with the Baltimore Ravens, dazzling with impact plays at safety and linebacker. Hopes were high heading into the preseason.

Sadly, Wohler sustained a Lisfranc foot injury during the preseason game against the Green Bay Packers, which ended his year prematurely.

Wohler is intriguing because of his wild versatility and capabilities to jump into special teams, which the Colts always value highly.

If Wohler can continue where he left off, he'll get meaningful snaps and be a fine asset for the Colts' coaching staff to utilize in the right situations.

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Justin Walley | Chance to Be Solid Starting Cornerback

Cornerback Justin Walley was controversial when Indy picked him up in the third round. Many preached the Colts needed more defensive line help, but Chris Ballard saw something else.

Walley immediately looked like a starter during mini-camp and training camp, and was consistently seen running with the first team defense.

However, in a similar fashion to Wohler, Walley's season was cut short before it could begin, just sooner. He'd sustain an ACL tear during the joint practice with the Ravens.

Given that the Colts have a solid cornerback room consisting of Sauce Gardner, Charvarius Ward Sr., Kenny Moore II, Mekhi Blackmon, and Jaylon Jones, Walley still may have the skill to get serious snaps despite so much talent present.

It's going to be all about how Walley bounces back from a critical injury like a torn ACL. But he already showed the promise to be legitimate solution at cornerback.

His situation will be a big one to keep an eye on. If Ward decides to retire after suffering three concussions during the regular season, Walley will have an even clearer path to start for the secondary.

Jalen Travis | The Braden Smith Replacement

Jalen Travis showed promise at Iowa State as a premier offensive tackle for the Cyclones, intriguing Indianapolis enough to take him in the fourth round.

Travis was slotted to compete with Blake Freeland for the ever-important swing tackle position. However, Travis looked the part more than Freeland, and the latter fractured his leg during the preseason, landing him on Injured Reserve.

Travis became the official swing tackle and started in place of Bernhard Raimann (left) and Braden Smith (right) due to injuries. The focus in this entry is the right tackle spot.

Smith was put on Injured Reserve after a neck and concussion setback, giving Travis the reins at right tackle.

Travis was great, putting up respectable Pro Football Focus grades of 72.2 overall, 71.2 pass-blocking, and 72.6 run-blocking on 316 offensive snaps through four starts.

Smith is a free agent and likely wasn't in the plans for the Colts past the 2025 season. After what we saw from Travis, that seems more likely than ever.

Expect Travis to be the starter at right tackle going forward, even with competition for the spot during the 2026 offseason.

If he can continue his ascension after a great rookie showing in a limited sample size, the Colts won't miss a beat if they part ways with Smith.

Laiatu Latu | Star Pass-Rusher Upside

As the first defensive player taken in the 2024 NFL draft, Laiatu Latu's expectations were to show a spark right away during his rookie season.

While he wasn't incredible, he showed glimpses of a potentially disruptive edge rusher. He finished with 4.0 sacks, three forced fumbles, 32 tackles, five tackles for loss, 12 QB hits, and 38 pressures.

Year two saw Latu take it up a notch, leading the Colts with 8.5 sacks and applying far more pressure to quarterbacks with 61. This was good enough for 15th out of 121 eligible defensive ends.

What was also impressive were his tackles for loss (12), QB hits (20), and interceptions (3). While the Colts need more around Latu in the edge rusher room, it's hard to deny that he looks like a player slated for a massive third year.

Some are mixed on Latu, but I'm not one of those critics. A 10-plus sack season can easily be ahead for him in 2026, especially considering he accomplished what he did with a lackluster supporting cast on the edges.

Latu has star potential, and he showed it in spades during his sophomore campaign. We'll see what 2026 has in store for Latu, but if this season was any indication of what's to come, it's going to be an excellent one for the former UCLA Bruin.