The Sauce Gardner trade was a frequent topic during the 2026 NFL Draft, as it left the Indianapolis Colts without a first-round selection. That was clearly far from ideal for a team with Super Bowl aspirations and plenty of roster holes on defense, but they already knew that.
The Colts arrived in Pittsburgh with pressing needs at linebacker and pass rusher. They should've also been in the market for offensive line help, a wide receiver, and depth in the secondary. Three days later, they addressed most of those needs.
Notably, that's not necessarily the case with their fellow AFC South colleagues. Truth be told, the division left plenty to be desired with most of their draft moves, and only Colts fans should feel good about themselves right now.
Ranking the AFC South draft performances versus the Indianapolis Colts
1. Indianapolis Colts
The Colts may have stolen a top-20 player in Georgia's CJ Allen. Positional value may have been the only reason why he didn't go earlier, and doubling down on Bryce Boettcher gives this team a young and uber-athletic linebacker tandem for years to come.
A.J. Haulcy is someone who can make an impact on the secondary from day one, and he should take Nick Cross' spot right away. Also, the pass-rushing duo of George Gumbs Jr. and Caden Curry needs a ton of work, but the physical tools are there.
As for Jalen Farmer, Seth McGowan, and Deion Burks, it might be a while before they carve themselves a significant role on the team -- if ever. It wasn't a perfect haul by any means, but they worked the board to address their roster's needs.
2. Houston Texans
The Houston Texans had big needs on both sides of the trenches and at linebacker. They got the ball rolling by trading up a couple of spots to take Keylan Rutledge in the first round, a major reach for a right guard who may not be able to start for the next couple of years and who was going to be available in Day 2.
Of course, adding Kayden McDonald early in the second round may have balanced things up, given that he was a projected first-round pick. However, other than that, the Texans didn't do anything meaningful for the rest of the event.
They reached for an unathletic guard in Febechi Nwaiwu, and aside from Wade Woodaz, none of the players they took in the third day of the event might see the field for DeMeco Ryans' team in 2026 -- if ever.
3. Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans got the ball rolling by shockingly taking Carnell Tate with the No. 4 pick. Perhaps they had to pivot with Jeremiyah Love off the board, but it was still surprising to see that they didn't lean defense with that selection.
Then, they traded up to get Kendrick Faulk, a player whose numbers aren't nearly as impressive as his physical traits and who comes with more questions than answers at the professional level. They doubled down on defense with Texas' Anthony Hill Jr. in the fourth round, which may have been their best value pick in the entire event.
The Titans had already addressed most of their roster's needs in free agency, but they still could've done much better in the draft. They added backups Fernando Carmona and Pat Coogan to the interior of the defensive line, but as of now, it looks like Tate might be the only guy with starting potential. Not ideal for a team that added eight guys.
4. Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars had a surprisingly good first year under Liam Coen, but the offseason hasn't been kind at all. They've done virtually nothing but lose Travis Etienne Jr. in free agency, and the NFL Draft wasn't much better.
With no first-round pick for the somewhat infamous Travis Hunter trade, they had to wait until No. 56 to get on the clock. They used that pick on Nate Boerkircher, a blocking tight end who was projected to go nearly 70 spots later.
The Jaguars had 11 picks in total, seven of which were on the final day of the event. Of all the guys they took, Emmanuel Pregnon might be the only one who can eventually start for Coen's team, with almost every other selection being either a huge reach or a clear-cut backup.
All in all, the Colts knew they couldn't drop the ball here. There's just too much at stake, and while this team showed the potential to be a Super Bowl contender, their final stretch of the season almost cost Chris Ballard and Shane Steichen their jobs.
Granted, they may have rolled the dice on a bit too many developmental prospects, but that's what you do in the late rounds. If things turn out well, this team could be looking back at the once-overlooked class of 2026 as an inflection point in franchise history.
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