One of the best in the draft business, Dane Brugler of The Athletic, put together a two-round mock draft for the Indianapolis Colts and all other 31 teams.
Let’s take a closer look and break down each of the Colts’ selections.
Pick 14: Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State
As Brugler said, and as we’ve already seen, this is going to be a very popular pick for Indianapolis throughout the pre-draft process, and understandably so.
As GM Chris Ballard said during his season-ending press conference, the Colts need a greater pass-catching presence from this position group. Warren this past year, was one of the best pass-catchers at tight end, leading that position group in first downs while totaling 98 receptions for 1,158 yards.
He also comes to the NFL as a willing and capable run-blocker. That well-rounded skill-set–an element the Colts’ offense doesn’t have–would add a layer of unpredictability to the offense.
“Warren will have the testing numbers that general manager Chris Ballard covets,” wrote Brugler, “and he is NFL-ready and quarterback-friendly, exactly the combo the Colts should be targeting to help Anthony Richardson develop.”
Pick 45: Azareye’h Thomas, CB, Florida State
In addition to tight end, the secondary was another unit that Ballard was fairly blunt about, saying that the team has to get better in this area. In both completion rate allowed and yards per pass attempt surrendered, the Colts ranked bottom-five in the NFL this past season.
At 6-2 – 198, Thomas has good size and has played nearly 1,600 snaps over three seasons. For his career, he’s allowed a completion rate of 53%, 12.8 yards per catch–including just 8.3 yards per reception in 2024–with two interceptions and 12 pass breakups.
