Colts' Draft Wrap Up

We’re already a week removed from the NFL Draft. It’s hard to believe, given the months and months of hype, speculation, mock drafts, and then POOF, it’s over! There was plenty of drama, from the Jacksonville Jaguars trading a haul to the Cleveland Browns for the No. 2 spot and drafting Travis Hunter, to his Colorado teammate Shedeur Sanders, and his slide to Day 3.  

The Indianapolis Colts selected eight players in total. We’ll break them all down and see how many blue-chip guys and potential starters Chris Ballard and company may have found in their 2025 class:

TYLER WARREN, TE, PENN STATE

All of the talk heading when it came to the Colts and the draft seemed to surround Tyler Warren, but many speculated that they would have to be bold and trade up for the Penn State star if they truly wanted him. But as Thursday night played out, the Colts saw the board fall their way.  

The most notable moment came when the Chicago Bears selected Michigan tight end Colston Loveland at 10, leaving Warren surprisingly on the board. Ballard stayed patient, and it paid off. Warren fell right into their laps at No. 14, and as Ballard said in his post-draft press conference that it was “one of the easiest selections” since they drafted Quenton Nelson.  

Warren is a sure-fire Day 1 starter. He vaults to the top of the depth chart and is a weapon the Colts offense has been dying for. He should have an instant impact and be a huge help to whoever is throwing him the football. His versatility also means he can line up at slot, creating mismatches for opposing defenses and causing Shane Steichen to foam at the mouth with the possibilities of unlocking his offense even further.  

J.T. TUIMOLOAU, EDGE, OHIO STATE

The first of two selections on Day 2 came with the addition of another edge rusher. Colts fans may have had PTSD from previous draft classes, but this was a necessary addition considering the loss of Dayo Odeyingbo in free agency and the need to have more guys creating havoc in the trenches. Tuimoloau ranked 14th in total pressures in 2024 and was a major factor in run and pass defense. He has an opportunity to play a major role in the rotation along with Laiatu Latu. 

This selection also seemed to be Ballard preparing for life in 2026, when the likes of Tyquan Lewis, Kwity Paye and Samson Ebukam all currently set to be free agents at the end of next season. While he may not earn the title of “starter”, he should be in a heavy rotation every game, making him a strong second-round selection.

JUSTIN WALLEY, CB, MINNESOTA 

The Colts added depth in their secondary with their third-round selection. Walley possesses good measurables and clocked a 4.40 40-yard dash. Scouts lauded his quickness and footwork, labeling him a “sticky” defender, especially in short areas. His coverage abilities need work, but in a room with Kenny Moore and Charvarius Ward, he should have some big-time veterans to lean on and teach him the NFL ropes. This was another solid move as you can never have too many guys in the secondary while also planning for the future with Moore and Ward both approaching their 30’s.  

JALEN TRAVIS, OT, IOWA STATE

If need was the name of the game in the first two days of the draft, then Day 3 was the day for depth and potential for the future. Travis transferred from Princeton to Iowa State in 2024 and played mostly at left tackle. The Colts have Bernhard Raimann at left tackle, but also some uncertainty at right tackle given Braden Smith’s cloudy future. Could Travis swing over to right tackle if needed? Possibly. The Colts needed to start planning for life after Braden Smith and are taking a chance on Travis to be that potential successor. Despite an off-season that saw the departure of multiple offensive linemen, Travis was the only offensive lineman the Colts selected in the draft. 

D.J. GIDDENS, RB, KANSAS STATE

Chris Ballard mentioned the need for more production at the backup running back position ahead of the draft, so it came as no surprise that they addressed the position on Day 3. Jonathan Taylor is a beast but he’s also getting a lot of wear on the tires despite only being 26 years old. The Colts may need to start easing off of the “workhorse” mentality when it comes to Taylor, as he’s been carrying the ball a ton for the Colts since his arrival and has missed 16 games over the past three seasons. The addition of Giddens, as well as the signing of Khalil Herbert in free agency means the Colts are providing Taylor some reinforcements when he needs a breather. Giddens racked up over 2,500 yards the past two seasons in college and he also provides pass-catching ability that the Colts have sorely been lacking. 

RILEY LEONARD, QB, NOTRE DAME

The biggest eyebrow-raising pick of the draft came with the selection of Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard. The Colts quarterback room has a ton of question marks with Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones vying for the starting quarterback position but also providing a murky future at the position with Richardson entering a critical season in his young career and Jones signed only through this season. 

The selection of Leonard certainly is a plan in case of an emergency. He will see little to no reps given the quarterback position in front of him, and he’ll need to hone his skills with what little time he does get. How high is his ceiling at the NFL level? It’s hard to say. His passing game leaves a lot to be desired, but his ability to improvise is what helped him guide the Fighting Irish to the national championship last season. 

TIM SMITH, DT, ALABAMA

How much of an impact can sixth-round pick Tim Smith have in 2025? That depends on how much the Colts can extract from him and if he can help add some depth behind DeForest Buckner and Grover Stewart. Smith is an outlier of the draft class as he was below average in athletic scores compared to some of his peers, but the Colts see something in him.  

At Alabama, Smith collected career highs in tackles, run stops, and overall defensive grade. His ability to defend the run may be the reason the Colts took a chance on him. Once again, the guys in front of him are older, so if the Colts can tap into Smith’s potential, he could be an asset for years to come. 

HUNTER WOHLER, LB, WISCONSIN 

The former safety turned linebacker seems like he’ll play at the latter position under Lou Anarumo. Despite over 1,800 career snaps at safety and the last two seasons as a starting safety for the Badgers, the Colts seem to think Wohler will play a decent amount of linebacker in Anarumo’s offense. The fact that he has the versatility to play in either position makes this a solid flyer in the seventh round. It also sounds like the bulk of his work in Year 1 could come on special teams. If Wohler can show his positional flexibility, he’ll prove to be a valuable asset and potential late-round steal.