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Re-Grading the Indianapolis Colts 2025 Draft

Originally posted on Football Analysis | By Aaron Sauter | Last updated Feb 19, 2026 10:33 PM ET

During the 2025 NFL Draft, the Indianapolis Colts needed to add playmakers to help quarterback Anthony Richardson get comfortable in the NFL. To accomplish that goal, Indianapolis selected tight end Tyler Warren with their first-round pick. However, by the time the Colts reached the 2025 season, Anthony Richardson was no longer the starting quarterback, and Daniel Jones stepped in to lead the Indianapolis offense.

Despite the change at quarterback, Tyler Warren was an outstanding draft selection for the Colts’ offense. The Colts’ offense showed significant improvement, especially in the first half of the season. Still, when Daniel Jones suffered a season-ending injury, the offense took a big dive in production. The Colts were not only looking to upgrade their offense but also to rebuild their defense so they could become legitimate championship contenders.

Indianapolis Colts 2025 Draft Class

Round	Pick	Player	Position	College
1	14	Tyler Warren	TE	Penn State
2	45	JT Tuimoloau	DE	Ohio State
3	80	Justin Walley	CB	Minnesota
4	127	Jalen Travis	OT	Iowa State
5	151	DJ Giddens	RB	Kansas State
6	189	Riley Leonard	QB	Notre Dame
6	190	Tim Smith	DT	Alabama
7	232	Hunter Wohler	LB/S	Wisconsin

Tyler Warren was everything that the Indianapolis Colts had hoped he would be when they drafted him in the first round. Warren entered the NFL with a reputation as an excellent blocking tight end. Still, during the 2025 season, Warren also became the top target in the red zone for the Indianapolis passing game. It is rare for a tight end to come into the NFL and make as big a splash as Warren did while establishing himself as a Top 10 NFL tight end.

In addition, Warren, the Colts also got better-than-expected production from defensive end JT Tuimoloau and the addition of offensive tackle Jalen Travis. Tuimoloau failed to be the sack artist that the Colts thought they were getting, but he did a great job of doing the little things, allowing his defensive teammates to step up and make more plays. Jalen Travis was able to step right into Shane Steichen’s offense and become a swing tackle, which allowed him to upgrade the Colts offensive line at different positions along the line.

Indianapolis Colts 2025 Draft Re-Grade Score = B+

Indianapolis made all the right moves in the first half of the 2025 draft, adding players to improve their offense and defense. Later in the draft, the Colts also found success with 7th-round pick Hunter Wohler, who demonstrated he can be a contributor to the Colts defense at linebacker, safety, and on special teams. In addition, the Colts got solid contributions from running back D.J. Giddens and quarterback Riley Leonard, who did a good job as Indianapolis’s 3rd-string quarterback. As the Colts prepare for the 2026 draft, they need to reassess their needs, as they did last year, and another strong draft could lead them to a championship season in 2026.

This article first appeared on Football Analysis and was syndicated with permission.

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