For Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen to secure his job beyond the 2026 season, he needs general manager Chris Ballard to have made smart choices in this year's draft. Overall, Ballard seems to have done that, especially with the needs he addressed early in the draft.
Ballard also has two picks in the seventh round, a round that doesn't always produce high-end producing players, but every selection has a chance to prove themselves. With the first of the two last-round choices, Indy chose Kentucky running back Seth McGowan.
What does he need to do to earn a roster spot and become the team's new Zaire Franklin? The former was taken in the seventh round of the 2018 draft, and he worked his way into becoming a starter for several seasons. He was traded this offseason, but not after becoming a multi-time captain for Indianapolis.
Indianapolis Colts take Kentucky running back Seth McGowan in the seventh round of the 2026 NFL draft
To answer the first sentence of the previous paragraph, McGowan needs to prove he can become the RB2 that the Colts need. Jonathan Taylor is fantastic, of course, but he cannot simply be thrown out every game with the hope that he can carry a heavy load without finding diminishing returns.
This happened in the second half of last season when quarterback Daniel Jones was injured, and Taylor was needed to basically be the offense. The issue was that defenses knew that Jones wasn't perfectly healthy with a broken fibula, which he had before he tore his Achilles tendon and was done for the season, and Taylor was the true focal point of the offense.
The team has to keep Taylor fresh, and Seth McGowan might be able to help in that aspect. He is a big running back at a little over 6-feet tall and 225 pounds. He's also fast, as he ran a 4.49 40-yard dash ahead of the draft. His vertical jump was an elite 42.5 inches.
Athleticism and size aren't his issue. McGowan just needs to cut down on the five fumbles he had in the last two years of college and find a way to translate his athleticism to breakaway runs. If he can do that, he could be Jonathan Taylor's main backup.
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