Colts Qs: What Does Team's Draft Board Look Like?

We've finally made it to draft week, which means the questions that you all sent in on social media for this week's editions of "Indianapolis Colts Qs" are as good as it gets.

Let's not waste any time -- here we go!. *Some questions edited for clarity.

"Rough estimate, where do you rank the Colts' defense league-wide after the big-money additions to the secondary, and Lou Anarumo?" -- @sweetlou760

They should still be considered a bad defense (and should feed the group that way) until they prove otherwise on the field, but I do think their arrow is pointing up. We should absolutely expect progress because they've made moves that look good on paper. You could consider Anarumo an upgrade at coordinator, and their cornerback room is unquestionably better after adding Charvarius Ward and even Corey Ballentine. However, they still need more pretty much everywhere else aside from cornerback. If I had to give them a range, maybe around 20th, with the potential to get much higher due to the draft.

"What is the expectation of Laitu Latu this season, especially as the first defensive player taken in his draft?" -- @ChefShogunate, Twitter

To start with playing time, Latu should be a starter opposite of Kwity Paye. There's no reason that Tyquan Lewis or a 30-year-old Samson Ebukam, post-Achilles, should be playing much more than Latu. As for production, the expectation should be double-digit sacks for Latu. Jumping from 4.0 to 10.0-plus is a large margin, but he was the first defensive player chosen in his class; the expectations should be high. I do expect a good season out of him, but we'll see what that looks like.

"Who is your breakout player for next year?" -- @chicagolp.bsky.social, Bluesky

The players I feel most confident about taking a big step are Anthony Richardson, Tanor Bortolini, Nick Cross, and Latu. The Colts are likely to do everything in their power to make sure the quarterback (whoever it is) succeeds, and it should be Richardson. Assuming Bortolini nabs a starting job, he's got great potential after showing really good things last year. Cross already looks like he's on his way, and Latu is heading into year two with a coaching staff that is likely focused on featuring him. If Jaylon Carlies is a starter after the draft, I think he could have a big year also.

"Is the biggest hole on the roster TE, LB, or RG" -- @super_pony702, Twitter

The group that would have the biggest issues if it stepped on the field in its present form is right guard. Tight end is lacking majorly, for sure, and it needs to be addressed, but you can operate an offense with what they have. At right guard, the Colts would either be starting Matt Goncalves, who they need to be their swing tackle behind Bernhard Raimann and Braden Smith right now, or Bortolini, Danny Pinter, or Dalton Tucker, with very little depth behind them. You can't play around when it comes to the line. Linebacker is also a big need, but the Colts really like Carlies.

"Are we going to be happy if the Colts stay at pick #14 and choose Tyler Warren/Colston Loveland? I want Warren, but should we address the trenches first ?" -- @Berksboise, Twitter

Tight end should still be the top priority early in the draft because it's not as deep as the offensive line class is. The Colts need someone like Warren, Loveland, or Mason Taylor, but they can find starters and key depth players on the offensive line throughout the entire draft.

"What is the deep dive take from the (Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center) on what they'll do at #14?" -- @SettingTheEdge, Twitter

I can talk about what the Colts should try to do all day, but what they will do is always anyone's guess. Things I know they want to accomplish in the draft: find a three-down tight end, bolster the offensive line, which hopefully brings in a starter at center or right guard (Bortolini could play either), and give the defensive line as much quality depth as possible.

"Predict the top 14 players on the Colts board. Cam Ward, Travis Hunter, Abdul Carter, Mason Graham, and then who are the next [10]?" -- @simonbaumgartle6357, YouTube

Love this one, thank you, and I turned it over quite a bit before settling on my order. Here are my next 10 after Cam Ward, Travis Hunter, Abdul Carter, and Mason Graham, specifically for the Colts. Ashton Jeanty, Armand Membou, Tyler Warren, Jalon Walker, Will Campbell, Colston Loveland, Jihaad Campbell, Jahdae Barron, Walter Nolen, Kelvin Banks Jr.

"If Ashton Jeanty fell to 14, do you think the Colts would draft him?" -- @brianshultz3222, YouTube

I think it would be really hard for them not to, but more than anything, that looks like a great spot to trade back. Surely, someone would want to trade up for arguably the best player in the draft.

"What’s a scenario where you see the Colts trading up in Round 1?" -- @tzacher1, Twitter
"Jake, on a scale of 1-10, how likely do you think it is for Chris Ballard to move up in this draft, given the aggressiveness we’ve seen in free agency and considering it potentially being his final year?" -- @Yim_093, YouTube

If the Colts do trade up, I don't see it being any earlier than 10 or so. Chicago (10) and San Francisco (11) feel like the most likely teams to want to trade back from that range. There's unlikely to be a player truly in the Colts' crosshairs that warrants going up much higher. Warren is the most logical target if they want to trade up a few spots because they think someone else will get him first. On a scale of 1-10, I'd put it around 3, because if they miss out on Warren, then Loveland should be right there waiting for them.

"Outside of Ballard's love of trading back, what's your feel on them trading back this year? Any players you think they'd take at 14 even if Warren or Loveland were still on the board?" -- @GingerSportFan, Twitter

Trading back should very much be on the table. Without Warren or Loveland on the board at 14, someone like Jihaad Campbell, Nolen, or Banks makes perfect sense, but otherwise, they could trade back and potentially still get someone like Josh Simmons, Tyler Booker, Donovan Ezeiruaku, Grey Zabel, or Taylor.

"What would you think about a Grey Zabel pick in the first round?" -- @Tycho53, Twitter

I could live with it at 14 because I think he's going to be a Pro Bowl-level player, but he could be had in the 20s, likely. Trading back and getting him would be a home run. What spot do you want him to fill? Doesn't matter,

"Have you heard anything about Colston Loveland’s medicals scaring some teams off?" -- @miralem1.bsky.social, Bluesky‬

I've actually only heard good things about Loveland's medicals, long-term. The only question is if teams will be willing to wait for him to be ready around training camp or not.

"Who are your favorite day 3 QBs for the Colts?" -- @VeveJones007, Twitter

Kyle McCord and Will Howard in the mid rounds, and then Cam Miller, Brady Cook, and Donovan Smith late. Tommy Mellott (Jason Bean 2.0) is also fascinating.

"What do you think an all-offense or all-defense draft could look like?" -- @leosaison.bsky.social‬, Bluesky

Fun! I'll give you quick mocks for both. Either way, you leave psyched for that one side of the ball but terrified about what you left on the table for the other side.

OFFENSE
1:14--TE Tyler Warren, Penn State
2:45--OT Aireontae Ersery, Minnesota
3:80--IOL Miles Frazier, LSU
4:117--RB C.J. Harvey, UCF
5:151--QB Riley Leonard, Notre Dame
6:189--OT Gerad Christian-Lichtenhan, Oregon State
7:232--WR Da'Quan Felton, Virginia Tech

DEFENSE
1:14--DT Walter Nolen, Ole Miss
2:45--LB Carson Schwesinger, UCLA
3:80--DE Bradyn Swinson, LSU
4:117--CB Nohl Williams, California
5:151--LB Jack Kiser, Notre Dame
6:189--S Hunter Wohler, Wisconsin
7:232--DE Elijah Ponder, Cal-Poly

"What’s the likelihood of the Colts making a draft day trade involving a vet player (ie Mark Andrews)?" -- @ColtsFanCole, Twitter

During the draft feels unlikely, but I could see a post-draft trade happening if the Colts missed out on anything they really wanted. Tight end is most likely, with options like Andrews, Dallas Goedert, and Michael Mayer out there.

"Folks have been talking about trades for Mark Andrews, Dallas Goedert, and Trey Hendrickson. Do you think the $16M and $11M cap hits, respectively, for the TEs make these proposals a moot point? Additionally, the huge cap hit for Hendrickson seems to price him out as well. What player do you think would be the best (and most realistic) trade candidate for the Colts to fill a hole on the roster if they want to go with a veteran and not trust the draft?
Note: you can't say Michael Mayer or Germaine Pratt - you're not getting away that easy" -- Locked On Colts Insider member

You've got me in the pressure cooker! So, I will say that there is always a way to figure out the money. They have a few highly-paid players whose contracts could be reworked to create more space. It's probably the trade compensation that would be the bigger issue. Excluding Mayer or Pratt, I'll throw Ravens edge Odafe Oweh's name in there. I thought he fit the Colts really well coming out of the draft, and he's coming off a 10.0-sack season. The issue is he's due to make $13 million in 2025 on his fifth-year option. However, if the Colts think he's an ascending pass rusher who's getting better, that could be considered a steal.

"Prediction time: Say the Colts take Tyler Warren & Carson Schwesinger in the first 2 rounds; Richardson gets his completion pct up to 56% with playing 14 games; and the team stays relatively healthy... With these roster additions and the roster as it's currently built, what do you think the season could look like in Jan 2026 (best & worst case scenarios)?" -- Locked On Colts Insider member

Best-case, that's a playoff team whose arrow is pointing up. Needs at tight end and linebacker are filled, and I imagine the Colts did something with the lines elsewhere in the draft. Worst-case, though, is that they still can't say they have a franchise quarterback. That's great that Richardson got his completion percentage up so much, but missing another three games? You've got to be able to count on your quarterback being there.

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