The Indianapolis Colts have several dire needs in the 2026 NFL draft. The team needs an edge rusher and an inside linebacker who can stop the run and be good in pass coverage. But if general manager Chris Ballard is smart, he might choose a player to replace a current high-end producer.
That is ultimately what drafts are for. Players shouldn't be expected to be one-year fixes, but longtime starters and impact performers. This is why Bleacher Report's Alex Ballentine's suggestion that maybe Indy should take a running back relatively early in the draft makes so much sense.
Ballentine delivers three options, Nebraska's Emmett Johnson, Texas A&M's Le'Veon Moss, and Indiana's Kaelon Black, that should make Indy fans happy, especially Johnson. The key isn't that the team would immediately be replacing Jonathan Taylor, either, but giving the icon a bit of help.
Bleacher Report suggests the Indianapolis Colts take a running back somewhat early in the 2026 NFL draft
The Bleacher Report writer says, "The Colts only have two picks in the top 100, so they'll need to make the most of their selections. While positions like linebacker, edge-rusher, and wide receiver have dominated Indianapolis draft talk, they're in a position to look at running back as well."
Jonathan Taylor has been overused in his six seasons, and that can't continue if Indianapolis wants the 27-year-old running back to keep playing at a high level for the next several seasons. Eventually, all the times he gets hit are going to take a toll. Why not add another quality back who can give Taylor some rest during games?
Another important part to note is that next offseason, Taylor is set for free agency. Could (and should) the team extend him before he hits the open market? Sure, but Ballard isn't normally one to be aggressive in working out those kinds of deals.
The GM might be smart to wait and see how much of next season goes, too. Taylor missed chunks of time in 2022 and 2023, and 2025 was only the second full season he played. Should he get dinged up and miss many games next season, even as great as he has been, the Colts should definitely not overpay for him next offseason.
The hope, of course, is that Jonathan Taylor stays fully healthy again, can sustain his high-end production into the second half of the season (something he wasn't able to do in 2025 for reasons he couldn't control, like Daniel Jones getting hurt), and leads the league in touchdowns again. None of that can be assumed, though.
If Indianapolis Colts fans really like an option such as Emmett Johnson, the logic is sound. While he isn't extremely fast, he does attack the line of scrimmage aggressively and reaches top speed quickly. He can also catch well. At worst, he is the backup Jonathan Taylor needs to stay fresh. At best, he gives Indy a dangerous two-back attack and eventually becomes a long-term RB1.