The 2026 NFL Draft is right around the corner, and officially kicks off Thursday 23rd April at 8pm Eastern Time. The Indianapolis Colts are scheduled to have 7 draft picks this year (unless they decide to trade up or down). The team is armed with just 2 of their 7 draft picks in the top 100, so they will likely need to be savvy to grab some talented prospects similar to last year.
Each Stampede Blue staffer will mock who they think will be the Colts first pick of the 2026 NFL Draft:
Jay Robins: Malachi Lawrence, DE, Central Florida
The Colts love elite tier athletes & they love taking Edge Rushers in Round 2. Lawrence is the freakiest athlete available at DE at a 9.94 Relative Athletic Score. He isn’t a “raw prospect” either, showing off a variety of moves and counters using his combination of elite burst and over 33.5” arms. His biggest concerns are his level of competition at UCF and edge setting.
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With Chris Ballard on the last year of his deal, he needs a home run at a top need early in Round 2, and Malachi Lawrence could be the big swing for an edge rush upgrade he makes, for better or worse.
Andrew Aziz: Elijah Sarratt, WR, Indiana
Sarratt might be a bit of a reach here, but I see him as a top-10 receiver in this class. He’s a physical player who consistently wins 50/50 balls and has been highly productive his entire career, especially against man coverage. With plenty of experience underh is belt, he could realistically step in and replace Michael Pittman Jr.
He’s not an elite athlete or a true deep threat, but that’s not a major issue in Indianapolis with Alec Pierce stretching the field. Instead, Sarratt can thrive in the short-to-intermediate game, where his physicality and reliability stand out. His 15 touchdowns also highlight his value as a red-zone target.
Thomas Butler-Guerrero: Jacob Rodriguez, LB, Texas Tech
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The Colts most depleted unit heading into the 2026 NFL Draft is without a doubt at linebacker. The prospect of Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez would be an ideal target at No. 47 overall. Indianapolis returns just two linebackers with minimal defensive experience, as Austin Ajiake (157 snaps) and Jaylon Carlies (2 snaps) combined for fewer than 160 defensive snaps last season. That inexperience creates an opportunity to inject more leadership into the unit.
The Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year anchored a Texas Tech defense that led the nation in rushing defense and ranked among the top three in both total and scoring defense. His elite production was highlighted by a 93.0 overall defensive grade and a nation-best 94.8 run defense grade, per Pro Football Focus. Beyond tackling, Rodriguez taps shows his game translates to an immediate impact starter.
The unanimous All-American forced seven fumbles and caught four interceptions in the 2025 season. Rodriguez brings rare instincts and a proven ability to disrupt drives. His fifth-place finish in Heisman voting, which was the highest finish since Will Anderson finished fifth in 2021, underscores his unique value in the second round. For a Colts defense facing a major reset, Rodriguez profiles as a foundational cornerstone piece to build around moving forward into 2026.
Mike Cross: Cashius Howell, DE, Texas A&M
My mock draft pick at 47th overall will likely not be there, but I think that Cashius Howell’s age, lack of weight, and dreaded arm length will see him fall. I can’t imagine using the trade-back if he is available. Time to take some production over measurables.
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Elliot Denton-Singh: Malachi Lawrence, EDGE, UCF
If I am the Colts then I would be 100% trying to trade out of this selection and pick up more day 2 draft picks. However, on this mock draft the Colts stick and address one of their biggest needs at DE with Malachi Lawrence. Lawrence is an athletic, high-upside EDGE rusher with excellent burst, bend, and hand usage. He wins with a diverse pass rush arsenal—mixing speed to power, counters, and flexibility to consistently pressure quarterbacks. His combine testing and explosiveness stand out, reinforcing his ability to disrupt off the edge. He projects best as a situational pass rusher with starter upside if he adds strength and refines run defense, offering strong Day 2 NFL Draft value.
Chris Shepherd: Jaishawn Barham, LB, Michigan
Jaishawn Barham DefenIn real life I don’t think Indy drafts at 47. Ballard loves to trade back and in every interview he’s done he has let other teams know he’s open for business as he keeps just blatantly saying they want to acquire more picks. It’s possible they don’t trade out of 47 and they trade out of 78, or maybe they plan to trade Kenny Moore and Anthony Richardson for a couple of sixth rounders and that’s what he meant by “we’ll probably end up with more picks” but I doubt it.
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47 is too early for Barham, the other name I would have here is Malachi Lawrence EDGE from UCF. Matt Raich, the Colts Senior Assistant Defensive Line Coach got a really good look at him as his position coach at the East-West Shrine Game and he fits exactly what Chris Ballard has said what the team is looking for this offseason for the front seven, but realistically, I don’t think he’ll be on the board.
Barham isn’t a consolation prize by any means, however. Barham converted from inside linebacker to edge rusher during the 2025 season. He is as raw as it gets as a pass rusher, is surprisingly solid against the run, standing up tackles and getting off blocks like someone much bigger than 240 pounds. His first step is rare and his acceleration allows him to chase down backs from the backside of plays in a way that no current Colts defender currently can. He is also very good at dropping into coverage from the defensive end spot, something Anarumo loves to do.
The reason I called him a defensive weapon is because if Indy wants to, this is a real two-birds-with-one-stone situation. It’s possible to use Barham as an inside linebacker on rushing downs and drop him to the line in passing situations, providing the sort of speed rush the team needs while he develops more at the position. He’s not elite in coverage but he’s good enough to not be a liability when off-ball.
Barham isn’t the total package, but he’s worth betting on late in the second round.
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