All things considered, the Indianapolis Colts did a pretty solid job in the 2026 NFL Draft. They didn't have a first-round pick because of the Sauce Gardner trade, but they still landed a couple of guys who may make an impact from day one.
Nevertheless, they still needed to add more depth to their defensive line. Defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo needed another nose tackle, and they may have found just the right guy in the undrafted free agent pool.
Arkansas defensive lineman Cameron Ball is an intriguing pickup. He's known for his defensive prowess against the run, and it wouldn't be much of a surprise to see him crack the 53-man roster once it's all said and done.
The Indianapolis Colts got a potential star in Cameron Ball
The Colts added Jerry Tillery, Derrick Nnadi, and Colby Wooden to the mix before the draft. Of them, only Wooden offers some type of guarantee at the position, and Ball is looking at a real opportunity to get some playing time as a rotational piece.
He used to play on the offensive side of the line in high school before transitioning to the interior of the defensive line. He spent five years playing for the Arkansas Razorbacks, logging 138 total tackles, two forced fumbles, three sacks, one fumble recovered, and 12.5 tackles for loss in 50 appearances (31 starts).
Standing at 6-foot-3 and 323 pounds, he might not be the biggest prospect out there, but he certainly plays bigger than his size. He's sturdy, physical, and has a quick get-off speed and ability to set his feet and establish his position. He was also extremely durable for his program, playing nearly 1,900 defensive snaps and almost 500 special-teams snaps.
The Colts took pride in their ability to stop the run last season, and even if Travis Etienne and Joe Mixon are no longer in the division, finding reliable one-tech guys will be crucial to keep that success. They held opposing teams to just 101.9 rushing yards per game in Anarumo's first year in town, the seventh-best mark in the league.
Ball should help with that regard, as he logged 70 run stops in college, including 17 last season, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Also, he's athletic and versatile, and he played in a variety of schemes and was also used at defensive end to some capacity, so he should give the Colts a Swiss Army Knife-type guy to get creative on defense.
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