If you’re the type who loves roller coasters – especially the kinds that feature invisible plunges where you’re suddenly hanging upside down - then a Chris Ballard draft is right up your alley. The unpredictable twists and turns that the Indianapolis Colts’ general manager is apt to take in this year's NFL draft make doing this final mock a lot of fun. And to be honest, a fair bit of lunacy.
As much as any GM in the league, Ballard has proven able to find quality players in the middle and late rounds. Meanwhile, he has also demonstrated a general lack of a grand scheme. The result has been a roster with great players and plenty of holes. And plenty of mediocre seasons.
This year is looking no different. But I am going to try to look at the options he will find the way he has tended to look at them in recent years. That means I’m going to choose a few players who surprise even me, the one choosing them.
Indianapolis Colts final mock draft could be a dream come true
One thing I will not be doing is making in-draft trades. That’s not because I don’t think Ballard will. I feel pretty certain he will make at least one, and probably multiple moves, especially on day three. Those minor late-round shifts in positioning are just too hard to predict.
They don’t simply rely on anticipating what Ballard might want to do. They also have to assume what a trade partner will be looking for, and that’s too much for me to figure out.
But don’t worry. This will still be fun and full of surprises. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be a Chris Ballard draft.
Round 2, pick 47 – Chris Bell, WR, Louisville
There’s no way the Colts should draft an offensive player with their highest pick. Offense is not the problem on this roster. Defense is. If Ballard found a linebacker, edge rusher, or defensive tackle to his liking at this spot, I think he would grab him. However, when I look at who is likely to be on the board at 47, I don’t see anyone like that.
Hence, we get Chris Bell, who has all the tools to be a breakout star once he polishes up his technique. Indy has good offensive weapons for Daniel Jones, but they remain iffy at perimeter receiver.
If Alec Pierce is indeed going to grow into an all-field playmaker, adding an explosive threat like Bell could really rev up the Colts’ attack. He has the size, the speed, and the raw athleticism to become a star.
Bell is recovering from an injury, which could slow his early progress. But the Colts can afford to be patient for a while as he matures into a legit NFL threat.
Round 3, pick 78 – Kaleb Elarms-Orr, LB, TCU
Like Bell, Elarms-Orr is still developing. Taking him in the third round seems like a reasonable reach to me. In many ways, he looks like he could step right into Zaire Franklin’s role.
He is an ideal central linebacker in a 4-2-5 scheme. He has excellent speed and covers a lot of ground. He has the quickness to attack the backfield and enough bulk to stand up against NFL blockers. He is coming off a real breakout year in 2025, but he has been hinting at this type of production for several years, so last year does not appear to be a fluke.
There are more polished linebackers who might be available in the second round, but I think Ballard will be looking at value, and Elarms-Orr has a ceiling that rivals many players who will go a round or two earlier.
Round 4, pick – Cole Payton, QB, North Dakota State
Now the fun really starts. This is the most “Ballard” pick of my draft. Based on team needs and recent investment, there is no way to justify choosing a quarterback with this pick. And it’s not like Payton is Dak Prescott, another fourth-rounder who was able to step right into a starting role. Payton still needs plenty of development.
So why take him? Well, Daniel Jones is projected to return from injury without regression this year. Riley Leonard looked good in week 18, playing in relief of Jones last season. But what if Jones suffers a setback? That’s not unheard of.
Why didn’t Shane Steichen trust Leonard to play last year when the season was still on the line? That question will linger until Leonard resolves it one way or another.
Meanwhile, Payton looks so much like Taysom Hill that I sometimes forget which player I am watching on film. A creative offensive mind like Shane Steichen would find ways to take advantage of Payton’s rare skill set. He would be a backup QB first and foremost, but he would also be a versatile offensive weapon.
Round 5, pick156 – Nicholas Singleton, RB, Penn State
We’ve gone off the rails by this point, right? How does a team so in need of defensive help spend three of its first four draft picks on offensive players? That’s the special Chris Ballard twist. The Colts will try to overwhelm any defensive deficiencies in the coming year by building an overpowering offense. Defensive help will come down the road.
It is not an entirely indefensible position. Especially when you consider that the defensive players Ballard might have available are average. Singleton, on the other hand, offers rare skills to an offense. He has size and speed. He runs hard and catches passes. He has been an effective return man. Most importantly, he has the youth and vigor to finally give Jonathan Taylor some help in the backfield.
And if you are the type that believes in omens and fate, try this one. Despite sharing backfield duties, Singleton finished his Penn State career with more than 5,000 total yards and more than 50 touchdowns. Last time a Big Ten player did that? He used to play for Wisconsin. The name was Taylor.
Round 6, pick 214 – Louis Moore, S, Indiana
We’re killing two birds here. With the departure of Nick Cross, the Colts could use help at the back end of the defense. Moore was a high school quarterback and a junior college receiver before transitioning to safety at Indiana, and he shows a lot of savvy in pass coverage.
Moore is not going to be an impact starter, but he would join Cam Bynum, Hunter Wohlers, and some other prospects in helping shore up the safety spot.
Plus, he comes from the national champs and I think Ballard would very much like to add at least one Hoosier to the Colts roster this year.
Round 7, pick 249 – Uar Bernard, DT, IPP
Bernard is part of the NFL’s International Players Pathway program, designed to identify and develop prospects from across the globe. He could very well go undrafted and become an intriguing UDFA target, but I would not be surprised if the Colts invested a late pick in the remarkable athlete.
Bernard’s astonishing RAS (relative athletic score) of 9.9 puts him in rare company. Standing almost 6’5”, and weighing 306 pounds, the native of Nigeria has exceptional 4.63 speed in the 40, along with a running back-worthy first 10 yards of 1.58.
He has an enormous wingspan but still managed to put up 31 reps in the bench press. His burst scores are off the charts for a man of his size. Bernard is just 21 and still very raw, but his athletic potential is attracting a lot of attention and could result in a draft pick.
Round 7, pick 254 – Jackson Kuwatch, LB, Miami (Ohio)
Kuwatch is another late-blooming athlete who has the potential to grow into a very good NFL linebacker. He is tall and moves well. After seeing limited action as a walk-on at Ohio State, he moved to Miami (Ohio) and showed remarkable growth last season, playing in a defense similar to the one Lou Anarumo runs with the Colts.
Kuwatch only had one productive season in college, but his physical tools suggest a player with a lot of room to grow.
Add us as a preferred source on Google