ESPN draft analyst Matt Miller has 12 prospects on his big board with first-round grades. What might this mean for the Indianapolis Colts in the 2025 NFL draft?
For starters, although there are 32 prospects drafted in the first round, draft analysts and teams don’t have 32 prospects with first-round grades. In fact, it never gets that close.
As Miller notes in his article, the average draft class has roughly 15 players who are deemed “first-round talents.”
When it comes to the big positions of need for the Colts, here are the prospects that received first-round grades, according to Miller:
Tight end: Tyler Warren (Penn State), Colston Loveland (Michigan).
Cornerback: Jahdae Barron (Texas), Will Johnson (Michigan)
Safety: None
We’ve also seen some mock drafts where the Colts add to the defensive line. Admittedly, depth is a need, but with the amount of resources invested into that position group and the needs the Colts have elsewhere, I don’t know if Chris Ballard spends another first round pick on that group, particularly with how deep the draft class is at this position.
Defensive tackle: Mason Graham (Michigan)
Defensive end: Jalon Walker (Georgia), Mykel Williams (Georgia)
I’d also add that if Will Fries doesn’t return, then adding to the offensive line could be in play at this point as well.
There are not quarterbacks in this year’s class that received first round grades from Miller, but inevitably, there will be a quarterbacks taken early in the draft, which can help push down some of these players into the Colts’ range.
So what does all of this mean for the Colts?
If Ballard’s board is somewhat in alignment with Miller’s–and they could very well be different–I would guess that any one of the four players at tight end and cornerback listed are in play for Indianapolis.
If there’s a scenario where those players are gone, then the opportunity to trade down very much exists.
While 12 players with first-round grades is not a lot, the strength of this draft class, as NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah noted, is in the middle, with Jeremiah saying that picks 20-60 are “pretty much the same.”
So if the Colts are short on options at pick 14 when it comes to prospects with first round grades, trading down to accumulate an additional draft pick in that 20-60 range could be the prudent move.
Conversely, if there is an abundance of players that the Colts have grading out similarly, a trade down scenario exists there as well. As long as they stay in range where they can still land one of those prospects, the Colts can double-dip in this scenario by moving down to accumulate additional capital while still getting a player they value highly.
With all that said, the NFL scouting combine takes place next week and those results could impact how big boards shake out as well.
But for the time being–and there is still a lot of time left between now and the draft–Miller’s rankings give as an idea of who the high-end prospects in this year’s class are, and that of course, has an impact on how things might play out for the Colts.