General manager Chris Ballard needs to have a home-run offseason turn into a home-run regular season in 2026 for the Indianapolis Colts. His team has to make the playoffs, or he should lose his job. Beyond free agency, Ballard needs to have a great draft without having a first-round pick.
He lost that when he gave the New York Jets two first-round picks and wide receiver Adonai Mitchell for cornerback Sauce Gardner during the 2025 season. Indy could trade back up into the first round, maybe, but the team can also fill needs with what it has left in the draft.
That includes taking a quarterback in the third round. The hope, of course, is that Daniel Jones is re-signed, but his health might be a constant worry. He has had three seasons cut short because of injuries already in his career. Indianapolis needs a quarterback they believe in behind him.
Indianapolis Colts 2026 mock draft has the team finding its future quarterback
The Colts also need to get more athletic along its defensive fron tseven. They do that in the mock draft that follows. That includes taking an edge rusher with the team's first pick.
Round 2, Pick 47 - Edge rusher Gabe Jacas, Illinois
The soon-to-be 22-year-old played a ton of college football, and all at Big Ten Illinois. This means for four years, he played against some very good offensive linemen in one of the two best conferences. He will be as ready to immediately succeed in the NFL as anyone else.
The 6'3" and 270-pound edge rusher is solid against the run, but would give Indianapolis a huge boost at the defense's biggest concern: Pass rush. In each of the past two seasons, Jacas had at least 41 quarterback pressures and eight sacks. He needs to clear up some tackling issues, but he should have a quick impact both on and off the field. He was a team captain at Illinois.
Round 3, Pick 78 - Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, LSU
Forget the Nussmeier fans saw in 2025. LSU was a mess, and it wasn't the quarterback's fault. The truth is that the quarterback can make any throw needed and has elite arm talent. He isn't the biggest QB, but he isn't the smallest at 6'2" and 205 pounds. He is also smart enough not to take too many bad sacks.
His traits should be a perfect fit in Shane Steichen's system, as Nussmeier can complete a high percentage of passes and doesn't turn the ball over much. His completion percentage increased to 67.5 this past season, even on a bad team. In 2024, though, he threw for 4,043 yards and 29 touchdowns, and he will probably be a better pro than college QB.
Round 4, Pick 113 - Defensive lineman Skyler Gill-Howard, Texas Tech
Gill-Howard is a bit undersized at 6'1" and 290 pounds, but he makes up for that with a never-ending motor. He takes no plays off and makes an offensive lineman have to constantly work to have success. He will need to work on his strength, but he has solid quickness at the point of attack and should have some production as an interior pass-rusher.
Round 5, Pick 154 - Linebacker Aiden Fisher, Indiana
Fisher was one of many players Curt Cignetti brought with him from James Madison to Indiana in 2024, and the great coach understood that what Fisher lacked in huge size (he is 6'1" and 235 pounds), he has football IQ in spades. The off-ball linebacker can recognize plays before they occur and knows how to attack.
Round 6, Pick 216 - Edge rusher TJ Guy, Michigan
The 6'4" and 250-pound Guy is a bit of a project, but a team can expect that in the sixth round. He got decent quarterback pressure in the last two seasons and was solid against the run, but he might be more of a pass-rush specialist in the NFL.
Round 7, Pick 230 - Wide receiver Josh Cameron, Baylor
Cameron is the kind of big receiver that Indianapolis might need should they release Michael Pittman or lose Alec Pierce to free agency. He wouldn't immediately replace either (he wouldn't be expected to as a seventh-round pick), but at 6'11/2" and 220 pounds, he has good strength and should be able to fight for 50/50 balls.
Round 7, Pick 253 - Safety Jalen Catalon, Missouri
If nothing else, Catalon should be adaptable. He played for four colleges in seven seasons. He is almost 25 years old, so already much older than a team would want to take in the draft, but he has decent coverage skills and is a ferocious tackler. He might be a steal as a producer on special teams.