The Indianapolis Colts entered the 2026 NFL Draft with evident needs at linebacker. They addressed that need early by taking Georgia's C.J. Allen with their first pick of the event, but with so many question marks at the position, it made sense to double down on their gamble.
That's why, though it was somewhat expected that they would take another linebacker at some point, watching him go with Oregon's Bryce Boettcher was somewhat surprising. Pittsburgh's Kyle Louis was still available, and Boettcher, who was also drafted by the MLB's Houston Astros, looked like a bit of a reach.
Fast forward to today, and Boettcher is already turning that narrative on its head. He turned some heads during rookie minicamp, and he seems to have the right approach to his first taste of NFL action. When asked about his goals for his rookie season, he made one thing clear: He's going for a starting spot.
Bryce Boettcher wants to start for the Colts in Week 1
“Whether you’re a first-rounder or an undrafted free agent, I like to think that the best player is going to play and if that’s me at the end of camp, I’m going to expect to start and I think all the coaches would say the same,” he said.
Boettcher might still need to work on his technique, but his heart is in the right place, and the motor is evident. He racked up 135 tackles in his final season with the Ducks, leading the team in tackles in 11 of 15 games. He might have a tough time earning the starting MIKE spot for the Colts, but they will surely welcome that type of production elsewhere.
As things stand now, he might start at SAM in Lou Anarumo's 3-4 defense, with Allen handling defensive quarterback duties in the middle, and Akeem Davis-Gaither rounding things up on the weak side of the line.
Boettcher has always played with the chip on his shoulder that's so typical of former walk-ons. Even after earning a spot on the team, he still practiced and played with the same determination as those who had to fight hard for every single rep, and he's taking that same mentality with him to the pros.
He knows he probably wasn't supposed to be there. He knows other prospects were ranked higher, and that he came with some major doubts because of his potential future in baseball. That's why he's going to work twice as hard to prove that the Colts made the right call.
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