The Colts spent big on the first day of free agency, signing cornerback Charvarius Ward and safety Cam Bynum to long-term deals. However, the signing everyone had their eye on was their acquisition of Daniel Jones, shaking up the quarterback room and giving presumed starter Anthony Richardson some competition.
Even with these signings, the Colts need to shore up other parts of the roster. Going into the 2025 NFL Draft, here’s a look at some of the biggest position needs for General Manager Chris Ballard and Head Coach Shane Steichen to focus on, and a few names to know at each position.
Linebacker
Linebacker is a position the Colts have tried and failed to revamp through the draft and free agency since Shaquille Leonard’s sudden decline in 2022. The Colts allowed the ninth-most rushing yards and the 13th-most rushing touchdowns in the NFL last season. They need an injection of talent in the second level of their defense, and they can find it in this year’s draft.
Jihaad Campbell – Alabama
Campbell has all the traits needed to play linebacker in today’s game. He has freaky athletic ability, with a 9.87 Relative Athletic Score coming out of this year’s combine. His 4.52 40-yard dash helps him operate sideline-to-sideline and stick with receivers up the seam. Campbell isn’t a slight player either, standing at six-foot-three and weighing in at 235 pounds. He puts that size to work in the run game, with the strength and hands to take on blocks when the run is coming his way. He had his ups and downs in coverage this season, but he improved in that area throughout the year. Campbell can give the Colts what they need at linebacker, with speed, sure tackling, potential in coverage, and some pass-rushing chops to boot.
After starting his college career as a walk-on at UCLA, Carson Schwesinger has developed into the best coverage linebacker in this class. He has the speed to stick with receivers across the field and the awareness to operate well in zone coverage. His primary weakness is his lack of physicality, as he struggles to shed blockers when they get their hands on him. Schwesinger’s quickness can make up for that lack of physicality at times, with the speed and instincts to knife between blockers and make big tackles in the backfield. A sound tackler in space, elite in coverage, and great when blitzing, Schwesinger has the potential to fix the issues Indianapolis had at linebacker last season.
Tyler Warren – Penn State
Warren was the surefire best tight end in college football last season, winning the John Mackey Award for the nation’s top tight end. Warren is a game-changing receiving threat with a complete skillset for the modern game. He has strong hands and attacks the ball in the air, seen dominating defenders at the catch point all season. He has smooth, graceful route running that allows him to separate from defenders in both the short and intermediate parts of the field. Warren is violent with the ball in his hands, more than willing to initiate contact with would-be tacklers and grind out extra yards. He isn’t the best run blocker, but it certainly isn’t a weakness. Warren lacks the top-end speed some other tight ends in this class have, but he looks like a dominant threat in the league for years to come.
Ferguson wasn’t the focal point of his team’s passing game the way some tight ends in this class were, but he looked like an offensive weapon when targeted. He’s great on both short and intermediate routes and showed the ability to separate down the field when given the opportunity. Ferguson has strong hands and a wide catch radius, which helped him win in contested catch situations throughout his career. Ferguson isn’t a complete tight end by any means but would be a steal in the third round if the Colts decide to go in a different direction with their first two picks in the draft.
Interior Offensive Line
The Colts need to replenish their interior offensive line in the draft after losing right guard Will Fries and veteran center Ryan Kelly in free agency. It’s a deep offensive line class, with potential week-one starters available even on day three.
Tate Ratledge – Georgia
Ratledge is an All-American with three years of starting experience for the Bulldogs. A great athlete, he posted a 9.96 Relative Athletic Score in his recent combine performance. Ratledge features a powerful lower half, good mobility, and a violent, tone-setting playstyle. Ratledge has tons of potential and great traits that can flourish with the right teaching. With the Colts, he would only need to look to his left for the best tips there are to offer, from All-Pro left guard Quenton Nelson. Their playstyles are reminiscent of each other, with churning feet and violent hands that look to finish defenders through the whistle. His nasty demeanor and ability to move defenders off the line of scrimmage would fit perfectly in the Colts’ offense.
Defensive Tackle
Grover Stewart and DeForest Buckner are great players, but both are on the wrong side of 30. They have each struggled with injuries over the past couple of seasons, and with the two tackles only getting older, there’s no reason to expect that to change. It’s time to begin a changing of the guard, and the depth at defensive tackle in this year’s draft class offers a great opportunity to do so.
Deone Walker – Kentucky
At six-foot-seven and 330 pounds, Deone Walker is an unbelievably large human being. His blend of hands, feet, strength, and size is virtually unheard of. His position flexibility is another attractive feature of his game, taking a significant number of snaps at all five defensive line positions this year. Walker needs some coaching to refine his technique and find consistency in his game, but his traits are hard to pass on. Luckily, the Colts employ Grover Stewart and DeForest Buckner, both of whom can mentor Walker and help him maximize his talent.