Colts Positional Mock Draft For 2025

INDIANAPOLIS – We are less than two weeks away from the 2025 NFL Draft. Like last year, the Colts head into this year’s draft with their normal 7-pick allotment, slotting into the middle of every round. Let’s do our annual positional mock draft:

1. Round 1-14: Tight End

At some point, the Colts need to invest a major resource into direct help for Anthony Richardson. And the team’s overall need at tight end matches first-round importance, after a year in which the Colts had arguably the worst tight end group in the entire NFL. Taking a tight end in Round 1 isn’t a normal practice, but the 2025 Colts are in an unusual position where it makes ample sense.

2. Round 2-45: Defensive Line

When you have a young quarterback, support for that guy, especially in the pass catching department, is always going to be paramount. So that’s why wide receiver, particularly an outside wideout with yards after catch ability is important to try and find. It’s possible the future No. 1 wideout, alongside the ‘prime’ years of Anthony Richardson, comes from a 2024 draft pick. Chris Ballard loves this wideout draft class and the Colts need to find a very quality pass catcher from it.

3. Round 3-80: Linebacker

Unlike many, I still think the Colts need to spend a premium pick on an edge rusher. Just because you have routinely swung and missed in drafting them high under Ballard doesn’t mean you keep the bat on your shoulders and stop swinging. The position means too much. An edge rush election in the top-100 wouldn’t have to walk into Indy needing to start every game, but could be an option as Kwity Paye nears the end of his rookie contract (the Colts have a 5^th year rookie option decision on Paye for the 2025 season that must be made by May 2^nd).

4. Round 4-117: Guard

A safety draft pick in this range has been something we’ve seen the Colts do a lot in recent years (Khari Willis 4^th round in 2019; Julian Blackmon 3^rd round in 2020; Shawn Davis 5^th round in 2021; Nick Cross 3^rd round in 2022; Daniel Scott 5^th round in 2023). Remember, the Blackmon re-signing is just for one year, so the future with him is up in the air. Plus, Cross and Rodney Thomas II have been benched at separate parts of their respective careers. This is where the needs start to drop into other tiers, so I could be interchangeable with some of the other positions below.

5. Round 5-151: Running Back

I don’t get too specific with this choice (i.e. guard/center vs. tackle), but if I had to pick it would probably be interior. Ideally, this pick might be the center of the future for Anthony Richardson. But I could also be talked into another dart at offensive tackle. The offensive line is another year older though, and several of the core guys are reaching the end of their respective deals (Ryan Kelly is a free agent in 2025; Braden Smith is a free agent in 2026).

6. Round 6-189: Quarterback

The position group Chris Ballard has hit home run after home run at needs some Day 3 attention in 2024. It’s pretty darn impressive how successful Ballard has been at hitting on linebackers, throughout the draft. Depth behind Zaire Franklin and E.J. Speed is up in the air, so how about a selection here for special teams and competition for that 3^rd or 4^th linebacker spot?

7. Round 7-232: Safety

Who is Jonathan Taylor’s backup running back in 2024? That’s a question as the offseason program ramps up. To me, it makes some sense to take a back and one that is more of a 1^st or 2^nd down option, with Evan Hull and Tyler Goodson returning as more of the pass catchers.