Armed with four darts, the Colts enter day three with multiple strong fits remaining on the board.
The Indianapolis Colts enter day three of the NFL Draft with four picks at their disposal: 4th-round (117), 5th-round (151), 6th-round (189), and 7th-round (232),
After addressing the ever-elusive tight end position by selecting Penn State’s Tyler Warren, as well as reinforcing the defensive front with Ohio State’s J.T. Tuimoloau and adding competition to the cornerback room by way of Minnesota’s Justin Walley, the Colts enter the back half of the draft with a little more wiggle room.
Given it was a rare stick-and-pick from Colts general manager Chris Ballard through the first two days of the draft, be on the lookout for that patented trade-back resulting in additional day three selections.
Separated by positional need, here are several of the top available fits for the Colts heading into the final day of the draft.
Offensive Line
Miles Frazier, G, LSU
Frazier is a massive guard prospect standing tall at 6’6” and weighing 317 lbs. A heavy-handed prospect who gets out in a hurry, Frazier’s patented pulling is a plus trait of his that would complement the Colts’ power gap scheme greatly.
Chase Lundt, T, UConn
A mammoth of a man at 6’7”, Lundt is the type of day-three tackle swing the Colts typically covet. The most appealing aspect of his game is that of his communication and execution regarding twists and stunts. With Braden Smith’s future an uncertainty, Lundt could plug into the tackle room as a project who could quickly come into his own.
Bryce Cabeldue, OT/G, Kansas
The Colts have shown interest in Cabeldue throughout the pre-draft process and hosted him for a Top 30 visit. Exclusively a collegiate right tackle, Cabeldue is a great athlete who has been deemed an NFL guard by destiny. Despite this potentially inevitable move inside, Cabeldue’s experience at right tackle offers future insurance in case of an emergency.
HM: Marcus Mbow, G, Purdue, Jackson Slater, G, Sacramento State
Off-Ball Linebacker
Smael Mondon Jr., Georgia
One of the best coverage linebackers in the draft, Mondon Jr. offers all types of versatility after playing at WILL backer, EDGE, and even in the slot for the Georgia defense. Mondon Jr.’s coverage ability would be a welcoming change, especially when you consider the likely uptick in such responsibilities with Lou Anarumo now calling the shots defensively.
Kain Medrano, UCLA
Despite being a bit lighter for an off-ball backer at 222 lbs, Medrano’s athleticism is off the charts. On top of running the fastest 40-yard-dash among all linebackers at the Combine — 4.46 seconds — Medrano’s explosive testings meet the criteria of what Chris Ballard and Co. covet.
HM: Teddye Buchanan, California; Jack Kiser, Notre Dame
Safety
Dan Jackson, Georgia
Former walk-on who didn’t start until his 6th collegiate season but immediately shined upon becoming a starter. Jackson made his NFL dreams a potential reality with a big senior season, being the third-leading tackler on the Georgia Bulldogs defense. Has a day-one floor as a special teams contributor and can also prove effective in multiple defensive back sets.
Lathan Ransom, Ohio State
A passable athlete for typical Colts draft standards, Ransom brings backend versatility to the table after splitting time both in the box and at free safety in college. Ransom saw an uptick in free safety usage during his final season at Ohio State after Josh Downs’ brother, Caleb Downs, transferred in and helped divvy up the snap allocation.
Interior Defensive Line
C.J. West, Indiana
West is a great athlete whose twitchiness complements his natural lower center of gravity. Although not a consistent pass rusher in college, West offers an intriguing ceiling to pair with his day-one floor as a contributor in the run game.
Aeneas Peebles, Virginia Tech
A smaller defensive tackle at 6 ft, 282 lbs, Peebles’ measurables and athletic makeup are reminiscent of recent day three Colts draft pick Adetomiwa Adebawore. Even stylistically, Peebles is known for his pass-rush ability and had the second-best pressure rate (17.4%) of draft-eligible interior defenders.
HM: Ty Robinson, Nebraska
Running Back
Damien Martinez, Miami
Perhaps the next Zack Moss, Martinez could rekindle that 2023 magic as the team’s next great RB2. A powerfully decisive runner, Martinez feels like one of the safer running back prospects. The Colts have been rumored to have an interest in the Miami product after all.
Trevor Etienne, Georgia
Etienne is arguably the second-best third-down back in the class after TreyVeon Henderson. A terror for opposing SEC linebackers over the past three seasons, particularly in coverage, Etienne’s efforts would greatly complement Jonathan Taylor similarly to Nyheim Hines.
HM: Devin Neal, Kansas