Our state’s two football powerhouses, the Indianapolis Colts* and IndianaHoosiers, collided this past week during the 2026 NFL Draft. And by collided, I mean they completely avoided each other.
*And by powerhouse, as it relates to the Colts, I mean: It’s an NFL franchise, people. Good, bad or mediocre, an NFL franchise is a locomotive. Either you get that, or you don’t**.
**Or I’m wrong. Can we please move on from this pain in the asterisk?
The Colts drafted eight players. They even traded back once, a Chris Ballard special, to multiply their picks. And in all those selections, the Colts chose how many players from the 2025 national champion IU football program:
Zero.
Who noticed? Not me, honestly. But you did. And you let me hear about it in our IndyStar text message group. (The text group is free and it’s just a few texts per week, so please join us on the link below any of my online columns!)
And here I thought the most interesting thing about my recap column on the Colts’ 2026 NFL Draft class was the clickbait headline…
But the Mailbagg™ makes that decision, not me.
Doyel:Colts draft includes felon, shortstop and two EDGE defenders
Colts draft NOBODY from IU football
From: Larry M.
Appreciate your intrigue with this year’s draft class, but will never understand how the Colts could pass on Indiana’s Aiden Fisher, a difference-maker every game he played, for a shortstop/linebacker.
Just looked up the NFL.com scouting reports on the shortstop/linebacker the Colts drafted in Round 4, former Oregon shortstop Bryce Boettcher, and Aiden Fisher (whom the Houston Texans drafted in Round 7). Not much of a difference, according to the folks at NFL.com.
Fisher was a special player in college, and the perennially mediocre Colts could use some goodwill. Say this for the Colts front office, though: They don’t do things for any reason other than football reasons***.
***But say this, too: Their football acumen isn’t always on point. Perennially mediocre, remember.
From: Peter W.
So, the Colts couldn’t draft a member of the Indiana national championship team? Not even in a later round?
Don’t look up the differences between Aiden Fisher and Bryce Boettcher. It won’t make you feel better.
From: Bob M.
Please, for the love of all that’s holy, press Ballard hard for an explanation of why he hated IU players so much. Passing on Indiana CB D’Angelo Ponds and WR Elijah Sarratt was bad enough, but picking Boettcher over Fisher – and Kentucky’s Seth McGowan over Indiana RB Roman Hemby – was beyond moronic.
Colts had a shot at Ponds at No. 47, but traded down to No. 53, by which point Ponds was gone. The linebacker they took at No. 53 could be special, though.
Doyel in January:From ‘Indinia’ to national champs, IU football is ‘greatest sports’ story
Clickbait column on Colts drafting shortstop, felon
From: Me to the group
OK, so this is the weirdest Colts’ draft class I’ve ever seen. And in my 12 years in Indianapolis, it’s my favorite group. I explain in the story, but how’s this for a headline:
“Colts pick a shortstop, several academic achievers and a felon in 2026 NFL Draft”
My latest:
Doyel:Colts draft includes felon, shortstop and two EDGE defenders
From: Sid B.
Possibly your most entertaining column yet. (There may have been others more entertaining, but I have the memory of a goldfish.) I hope each one of these draftees makes the team, but I feel sure that those who don’t will have successful lives.
I might print this one again under the heading: “Not printing these.” Because I’m too humble to print something THIS nice.
Definitely too humble to print it twice. Probably. We’ll see.
From: Bill B.
Holy cow, Gregg! This is a story. What a lovable and unlikely group of draftees! Oh man, I can’t wait! Go Colts!
Won’t print this twice either.
From: John C.
This was really good. All the stuff I didn’t get from the talking heads on the broadcasts. Thanks.
Another candidate for the “Not printing these” section.
From: Alex B.
Sounds like clickbait. I’ll read the ESPN insider access/analysis.
What a strange person you are, Alex. Let me guess: You prefer Burger King to BRU Burger? Some people don’t recognize a delicacy when it gets served right to them.
From: Jeremy M.
I’m getting your text on the Colts draft at the Make-a-Wish gala at the JW Marriott, and the winner of the Luke Butler Spirit Award was Trey Mock/Blue. So fitting. This guy is a genuine blessing to our city.
What a lovely person you are, Jeremy. And agreed on Trey Mock. Special human being there.
Doyel in 2024:Wildly popular Colts mascot has fur of blue, and heart of gold
2026 WNBA season moving fast for Fever, Caitlin Clark
The WNBA season is approaching faster than seems humanly possible – a new CBA, free agency and two drafts in a matter of weeks – and it’s chaotic.
Chaos? The Indiana Fever are fluent in that language.
Doyel: Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever start 2026 WNBA season after CBA chaos
From: Stan L.
What happens when Cailtin Clark retires or signs with a new team? How happy will we be that we built a large, expensive training facility/offices when the Fever average 3,500 fans a game again?
Not sure those days – 3,500 fans – are coming back. When it comes to fan interest, the WNBA is no longer a niche sport. Thanks to a number of factors, including the increased attention on women’s college basketball, the WNBA arrow is trending up.
From: John F.
Fever are a great story…
However, you should do a column on NBA officiating. Devin Booker just suggested the NBA is like WWE. Fans tuning into the NBA want to see skilled athletes fearlessly competing at the highest level, not actors and entitled wimps.
How many different ways I gotta tell you people? This is not Burger King, and you do not get it your way!
Unless the idea is so good, I steal it. Which happens more than you’d think tbh.
2026 NFL Draft No. 1 pick: Fernando Mendoza
In a matter of months, IU football has beaten Ohio State for the Big Ten title, blown out Alabama and Oregon to reach the CFP title game, then smothered Miami to complete a 16-0 season. Along the way Fernando Mendoza won the 2025 Heisman Trophy, and now this:
Mendoza just became the No. 1 pick in NFL draft, the latest pinch-me moment for IU football.
Doyel: Fernando Mendoza drafted by Raiders as IU football’s dream year continues
From: Tom S.
Go back in time just two years. You don’t know anything about Curt Cignetti, 16-0, national champions, none of it. This would be literally unbelievable.
Hey, I wrote it that way after Mendoza went No. 1 overall. I know this is real, I do, but … is this real? Is it??!
From: Raymond H.
And Mendoza watched the draft from his home with family and friends, rather than at the ceremony. A classy guy.
It’s been a joy to write about a person as nice as Fernando Mendoza.
Doyel:Is Fernando Mendoza the nicest Heisman winner ever?
From: Greg B.
If I haven’t already woken from this deliriously delightful fever dream that includes a national championship and Heisman Trophy for Indiana, a texted column about a No. 1 overall draft pick sure isn’t going to wake me up. It should also be noted that in my dream, it got very dusty in the room when Mendoza’s name was called.
Impossible NOT to root for Mendoza. Impossible.
From: Greg B., again
Oh (crap), now I know I’m dreaming because I just saw Alabama QB Ty Simpson get drafted No. 13 by the Rams.
OK that’s funny.
On Colts’ pick CJ Allen – and Pat McAfee
My column from Day 2 of the NFL Draft was heavy on fear and loathing, with the Colts on the clock and trading down and then going back on the clock – twice – before someone gave the microphone to Pat McAfee.
Doyel on CJ Allen pick: Colts trade down, fans melt down, Pat McAfee dumbs it down
From: Ken W.
I was a college wrestler and later a high school coach. I’ve never been a fan of pro wrestling, and hate the “schtick” of the whole thing. Increasingly McAfee’s default is WWE heel/announcer or whatever he is in that ecosystem, which is a particular niche that I am willing to bet most sports fans either love or – like me – have ZERO use for.
Marking you down under the “loathing” category, Ken.
From: Joseph W.
I don’t get that McAfee guy. I go through a wide range of emotions with him. From “I think he is a good dude” to wanting to double up a left hook on him.
I think Pat’s a good dude, I really do. But as Ken was saying in the last text: His preferred ecosystems, his niche, is not for everyone.
Mark me down under “loathing.”
Dueling Doyel columns on McAfee:Great punter, dude, future as McAfee retires from NFL
Dueling Doyel columns on McAfee:McAfee has become Aaron Rodgers’ anti-vax accomplice
From: Scott B.
Pat McAfee can dumb things down? How is that even possible?
Does ANYONE have anything to say about the actual Colts draft content in my Colts draft column?
From: Joe S.
Trading back was predictable – and smart. The EDGE the Colts probably wanted was taken No. 45 overall (Missouri OLB Zion Young to Baltimore). Their first priority was an EDGE or a linebacker, not a corner like D’Angelo Ponds. They trade back six spots, get an extra pick in a draft where they have a shortage of picks, and still get a perfect fit in skill and culture at linebacker (Georgia’s CJ Allen).
Many of these fans have no clue how the draft works, and aren’t going to be satisfied unless every Colts pick played at IU.
That’s a funny final line, darn near brilliant considering what was written above. And you didn’t know what was written above!
Did you, Joe?
You hack into my computer, Joe?
Not printing these
This space for rent.
Find IndyStar columnist Gregg Doyel on Threads, or on BlueSky and Twitter at @GreggDoyelStar, or at www.facebook.com/greggdoyelstar. Subscribe to the free weekly Doyel on Demand newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Colts draft no national champion IU football players in 2026 NFL Draft