The Indianapolis Colts were a surprise playoff contender over the first half of the 2025 NFL season. They jumped out to an 8-2 record ahead of their Week 11 bye, catalyzed by a career-best showing from Daniel Jones as well as a stellar start by running back Jonathan Taylor.
But after the bye week, the wheels fell off for the Colts. They lost their final seven games and saw Jones go down with a torn Achilles in Week 14. Philip Rivers came out of what was nearly a five-year retirement in an effort to salvage their playoff chances, but Indianapolis came up short in its goals.
Despite the late-season collapse, coach Shane Steichen returned for a third season while general manager Chris Ballard was retained for his 10th campaign with the team. The duo will be facing a lot of pressure to bounce back from those late-season struggles, and the 2026 NFL Draft will be a key in their efforts to achieve that goal.
The Colts are without their first-round pick after trading it to the New York Jets ahead of the 2025 NFL trade deadline for Sauce Gardner. As such, Ballard will need to hit on a couple of Day 2 picks to bolster Indianapolis’ roster and fill some of its remaining needs.
Here’s everything to know about the Colts’ picks, needs and outlook for the 2026 NFL Draft:
Colts 2026 NFL Draft picks
The Colts have seven picks in the 2026 NFL Draft. Here’s the complete list:
- Round 2, Pick 47
- Round 3, Pick 78
- Round 4, Pick 113
- Round 5, Pick 156
- Round 6, Pick 214 (from Steelers)
- Round 7, Pick 249
- Round 7, Pick 254
The Colts don’t have a first-round pick in 2026. They traded it to the New York Jets as part of the package to land star cornerback Sauce Gardner.
Colts NFL draft grades
This section will be updated after the Colts make their first selection.
Colts 2026 NFL Draft needs
Edge rusher
Kwity Paye ranked second on the Colts in pressures last season with 43, per the NFL’s Next Gen Stats. He signed with the Las Vegas Raiders in free agency, so Indianapolis will need to add a replacement who can create a solid, long-term pass rushing tandem with 2024 first-round pick Laiatu Latu.
Linebacker
The Colts traded Zaire Franklin to the Green Bay Packers during the offseason. Indianapolis signed Akeem Davis-Gaither, with whom defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo is familiar, in free agency, but adding a higher-upside option to patrol the middle of the field would be wise.
Wide receiver
Alec Pierce stayed with the Colts on a big-money free agent deal, but Indianapolis also traded Michael Pittman Jr. to the Pittsburgh Steelers. That leaves the team needed a third receiver to pair with Pierce and Josh Downs, and targeting on in the draft’s middle rounds would be sensible.
Colts 2026 NFL mock draft
Here’s what the Colts could do come draft night, per Ayrton Ostly’s seven-round mock draft:
- Round 2, Pick 47: LB Jake Golday, Cincinnati
- Indianapolis has a lot of directions they could go with their first pick in this draft and opt to build up the linebacking corps for Lou Anarumo. Golday’s an outstanding athlete for his size with the hands to shed blocks in the run game. He needs to improve his understanding of zone coverage to stick in the NFL but has a solid foundation of traits to develop.
- Round 3, Pick 78: WR Antonio Williams, Clemson
- This worked out pretty perfectly for the Colts. With Michael Pittman Jr. now in Pittsburgh, the team needs more help at wide receiver and gets arguably the top route-runner in the class. He’ll complement Alec Pierce’s speed in the pass-catching group very well.
- Round 4, Pick 113: RB Mike Washington Jr., Arkansas
- Round 5, Pick 156: Edge Max Llewellyn, Iowa
- Round 6, Pick 214: TE Riley Nowakowski, Indiana
- Round 7, Pick 249: C Jager Burton, Kentucky
- Round 7, Pick 254: LB Karson Sharar, Iowa
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Colts NFL draft tracker 2026: Full list of picks, live grades