The Indianapolis Colts suffered some attrition this offseason, much of it intentional. Longtime starters Zaire Franklin and Kenny Moore were traded and released, respectively, and safety Nick Cross and edge rusher Kwity Paye left in free agency.
The team drafted two players that general manager Chris Ballard and head coach Shane Steichen hope will replace Franklin and Cross, but the only player assumed to do that is linebacker CJ Allen, a second-round choice out of Georgia. Third-rounders, such as safety A.J. Haulcy, are more iffy.
The good news, though, is that according to ESPN Colts beat reporter Stephen Holder, Haulcy has been a star in organized team activities and training camp so far. Holder has Haulcy listed as the most surprising contributor for Indianapolis in a recent article.
ESPN Indianapolis Colts writer is hearing great things about rookie safety A.J. Haulcy
Holder writes, "Coaches are raving about the rookie drafted in the third round from LSU. He's been working almost exclusively with the starting defense and is clearly the early favorite to win the starting job at strong safety. Haulcy brings playmaking potential, which is something the Colts are seeking. He had eight total interceptions in his final two college seasons, and those instincts were on display in spring camp."
As much as CJ Allen is needed to step into Zaire Franklin's former spot and immediately be good enough to likely be the green dot on the defense, conveying defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo's play-calls, Haulcy needs to do the same in place of Cross. He could also be an immediate upgrade over the player who signed with the Washington Commanders.
Cross was good against the run. Where he struggled was one of the tentpoles of his position. He wasn't very good in coverage, allowing 10 touchdown passes in the last two seasons, with a quarterback rating allowed of 107.1. That kind of failure in pass coverage helped cause Indy's defense to be underwhelming.
Haulcy, who played three seasons in college at Houston and one at LSU, was sensational in coverage over the last two seasons, not allowing a quarterback rating higher than 64.9. He intercepted eight passes while only allowing three touchdown passes.
Replicating those college statistics into NFL production isn't usually likely, of course, which makes Holder's comment about Haulcy standing out in camp even more impressive. The rookie safety appears to be in line to start right away and be good straightaway.
His run defense was good in college, too, and as long as he can learn his assignments quickly in Anarumo's scheme, A.J. Haulcy should be a well-rounded, long-term starter for the Indianapolis Colts beginning in 2026. Assuming key players, such as Sauce Gardner and DeForest Buckner, stay healthier, and Allen and Haulcy are good early, Indy's defense will be much better this coming season.
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