Indianapolis Colts Sign Basketball Player on Tuesday
Indianapolis Colts Sign Basketball Player Carson Towt, Plan to Convert Him To Tight End
- Towt, a college basketball player, is transitioning to the NFL with the Colts despite no prior football experience.
- Towt believes his physical attributes and playstyle from basketball will translate well to the physical demands of football.
- Towt has always had an interest in football but didn't pursue it until the end of his college basketball career.
INDIANAPOLIS–The Indianapolis Colts signed someone on Tuesday who has never played football before. His name is Carson Towt and he played basketball collegiately.
From 2020 to 2025 he was with Northern Arizona before concluding his final season with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
“Yeah, it’s been quite the journey. We kind of knew – maybe beginning of my basketball season that we were going to explore this, but we were trying to figure out the right way to go about it, in the most fruitful way to do it. So, it’s been a cool journey. I was out at the combine a couple weeks ago with my agents, Jack Bechta and Jack Tabb. Not doing workouts because I was in the middle of basketball season with Notre Dame, but just for meetings with teams and meeting some of these guys out here. So, it’s been quite the journey so far. And man, it’s just getting started. So, I’m excited to see where we can all go,” said Towt when speaking to reporters on Tuesday.
Even though he’s never played football before, he thinks his physical gifts he has shown on the basketball court will translate to the NFL.
“I think this sport honors those gifts in the things that got me to Notre Dame and carried me through my career and the things I pride myself on. I think this sport honors those things. And my frame, how I developed, how I developed as a player, kind of like my play style and what I pride myself on – rebounding. A couple years ago, leading the country in rebounding, and this year, leading the ACC in offensive rebounding. I pride myself on dirty work and rebounding and being physical. So, I think football almost honors those a little bit better than basketball does. So, that’s why we’re here today,” said Towt.
He’s had the itch to play football all through college and growing up.
“In high school, I was real small though. I didn’t hit growth spurts until late. I didn’t have armpit hair until late in high school. So, I was kind of a late bloomer in that way. So, I never really thought about it too much, gave it too much thought and attention until my freshman year of college, when I kind of started bulking up and realized, ‘Okay, this is probably my max height and I got a good frame on me, and I take care of my body well.’ So, kind of started thinking about it then, and thought about dual sporting a lot every year, but it never really made sense in college because my basketball career – I kept climbing, and I’m getting better there so I wanted to give my focus and attention to that. And then it just kind of worked out where my basketball career has come to an end in college, and it’s perfect timing to kind of segue into this transition, and it’s what we’re doing,” said Towt.
As a freshman, Towt averaged 5.6 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. He improved those numbers to 8.4 points and 8.8 rebounds per game as a sophomore. As a junior, Towt averaged 10.1 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. He sat out the 2023-24 season with an injury before averaging 13.3 points and a nation-leading 12.4 rebounds per game as a senior. Towt recorded 20 double-doubles, tied for sixth nationally. He was named to the Second Team All-Big Sky as well as the All-Defensive Team. Following the season he transferred to Notre Dame, taking advantage of an additional year of eligibility.
