Indianapolis Colts General Manager Chris Ballard speaks with media Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, at the Colts practice facility in Indianapolis. Mykal McEldowney/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn ImagesThe Indianapolis Colts are under a lot of pressure to ace the 2026 NFL Draft. Now that the week of the big event has arrived, let’s go over some bold predictions about what the team will end up doing.
The 2026 NFL Draft is almost here, and there are still so many questions surrounding what the Indianapolis Colts will do. Many believe it is a playoff-or-bust season for the Colts. A failure to end their playoff drought would result in the firing of general manager Chris Ballard and head coach Shane Steichen. That means the pressure to ace this draft class is through the roof. We are three days out from the Colts’ first selection. I have some bold predictions I want to get off my chest. To corral me a bit, I let Colts fans send in questions, and I chose five to share where my head is about the team’s plans.
Will they send draft capital away for a proven veteran?
Will Ballard target a linebacker early or trust his past success and wait till day three?
How many positions are on the table for the Colts' first selection in the 2026 NFL Draft?
This is one of the most polarizing topics surrounding the Colts’ draft plan. Some say the team would be stupid to target a wide receiver early, and some think they would be stupid to wait till day three. So either way, it seems the team will look stupid to a portion of the fan base. Two questions were submitted on the topic (which you can see above), so I’ll answer both. I’ll take the over on the team taking a wide receiver in the fourth round because I’m predicting they use a day two pick on the position. Whether that be in the second or third round will depend on how the board falls. The hit rate for finding starting receivers in that range has been fairly high in recent years. I also think there will be solid options on day two for the Colts to target to replace Michael Pittman Jr.’s spot in the starting lineup.
What are the odds that we trade draft capital to acquire a current player that fills a position of need? (Buda Baker, Kavyon thibodeaux, etc.)
I think the Colts would prefer to land a starter at one of their defensive needs via trade. They’ve been linked to a few edge rushers rumored to be available via trade all offseason for a reason. And teams do tend to become more motivated to get a trade across the finish line during the draft. Predicting a team to pull the trigger on trading away talented players, though, is very difficult. So many factors affect the situation, and more often than not, trades stall. So I’d say the odds aren’t great, but I’m in no way ruling it out. If one were to happen, I think edge rusher would be the most likely.
Will Ballard trust his history with late round LBs or grab one early like in the 2nd round?
Oh, good, another polarizing question that my answer will make a portion of the fan base angry, no matter what. Seriously, though, linebacker is going to be such an interesting position to watch in this draft for the Colts. The team traded away captain and longtime starter Zaire Franklin this offseason. Their only notable addition to the room was signing Akeem Davis-Gaither in free agency. The Colts need another starter, but also could use two to three new players added to the room. My hunch at linebacker right now is that there are probably a couple in this class the team would seriously consider in round two if they are on the board. In my opinion, it’s the deepest position in the class, though, and Ballard has had the most success in his career drafting linebackers and offensive linemen. So my official prediction is that the Colts don’t select a linebacker until day three of the draft.
Over/Under on Colts Draft trades: 2.5Ballard has hinted at trading back, 2 Colts are openly on the trade block (and there's a few more I wouldn't be shocked are traded away: Jaylon Jones & Carlies).Time for aggressive board of movement and pick adds
Trades are usually seen as exciting by fans, but during the draft, they typically have a different connotation. Trading back is viewed as a passive approach that many fans despise. The reality of the Colts’ situation, though, is that they will need to trade back at least once near the top of their class. They have seven picks in this draft, three of which come in the sixth and seventh rounds. Ballard himself told the world during his pre-draft presser the strength of this class comes in the third to fifth round.I think we see the Colts trade down at least twice in this class. They also have two players who have asked to be traded this offseason in Anthony Richardson and Kenny Moore II. I believe that, in the end, we will see at least three completed trades by the Colts during the draft. So give me the over.
How many positions are REALISTICALLY in play with our first pick (wherever that may fall)?
— Nathan Alan Barnhart (@RealNate018) April 21, 2026
When the offseason began, most people thought it had to be a linebacker, no matter what, for the Colts in round two. As time has gone on, though, it seems more and more positions have joined the conversation. I did a mock draft series last week that finished on Monday. That series showed what the Colts’ draft haul could look like if they used their second-round pick on an edge rusher, linebacker, wide receiver, or safety. That is the big four for me right now, where I think the team’s selection is the most likely to target. I also wouldn’t be all that shocked if we saw corner or defensive tackle as the pick. Especially if the Colts trade back from 47 to add more capital. So, that brings my answer to include six positions. That may seem like a cop-out answer, but the Colts’ roster is so thin that they could go in a lot of different directions to start the 2026 NFL Draft.