The Indianapolis Colts announced that the team has reached an agreement with a pair of unsigned rookies: Kentucky offensive guard Jalen Farmer and Oregon linebacker Bryce Boettcher:
This means that the club’s entire 8-man rookie draft class of 2026 has now been safely signed, during the team’s 2nd week of OTAs and before the team’s mandatory minicamp begins next week on June 9th.
As a 4th round draft pick of the Colts, the 6’5”, 312 pound Farmer played for Kentucky the past two seasons, having transferred from the University of Florida. He made 12 starts for the Wildcats last season and is considered a powerful and physical run blocker in the ground game. He’ll need to continue to refine his pass blocking technique to become a full-time starter along the Colts offensive line, but has untapped physical upside.
Farmer is expected to compete this offseason for the Colts starting right guard job with incumbent Matt Goncalves and also serve as a potential swing-tackle in a pinch next season.
Meanwhile, Boettcher is another 4th round pick of the Colts this year, who at 6,’1”, 230 pounds was a former 13th round MLB Draft Pick of the Houston Astros—showcasing his overall athleticism as a high-end two-sport athlete. He made 15 starts for the Oregon Ducks last season, earning First-Team All-American and 2nd-Team All-Big Ten honors (*the latter for a consecutive season).
He’s expected to push for a potential starting linebacker job, and at the very least, with his speed, agility, and instincts in space, could be deployed situationally as a subpackage linebacker in pass coverage—even as a rookie.
He should provide much needed toughness and competitiveness to the 2nd-level of the Colts defense and potentially on special teams—should he not earn a 1st-Team defense starting spot.