2025 7 round Colts NFL mock draft as the team enters what should be a make or break offseason
The Indianapolis Colts made the puzzling decision to retain general manager Chris Ballard for his ninth season following the team's fourth straight year without a playoff birth. Owner Jim Irsay's choice might have saved people's jobs for this season, but no one should feel comfortable. Every player, coach, and front office member should believe that this […]
The Indianapolis Colts made the puzzling decision to retain general manager Chris Ballard for his ninth season following the team's fourth straight year without a playoff birth.
Owner Jim Irsay's choice might have saved people's jobs for this season, but no one should feel comfortable. Every player, coach, and front office member should believe that this upcoming offseason is make or break for their chances to return to the team the following year.
Pressure is at an all-time high, and the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft class needs to be a hit for Ballard and his team in the front office. They own the 14th pick in the first round, and now that we know where they will be selecting, it feels only right to share my first Colts seven-round mock draft of the year.
Round 1:
14. Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State
The Colts' tight end room became a problem for the offense pretty early in the year, and they never figured it out. No one from the room was able to step up to the plate and become a stable contributor during the season. Kylen Granson led the room with 31 targets, 14 receptions, and 182 yards. Mo Alie-Cox and Andrew Ogletree were the only TEs on the Colts roster to record a receiving touchdown this year, with both having one.
The Colts were among many teams rumored to be aggressively trying to move up in 2024 to select Brock Bowers, and his phenomenal season this year shows precisely why. I think missing out on Bowers should make the team very motivated to add to the position in this class. It is a good year to need a TE with multiple talented players declaring for the draft. The best fit and most dynamic overall player at the position in this class, though, is Penn State's Tyler Warren. If he is at pick 14, I think the Colts should run the pick in and never look back.
Round 2:
45. Xavier Watts, S, Notre Dame
The Colts are making a change on the defensive side of the ball by parting ways with defensive coordinator Gus Bradley. But no matter who takes over and what changes are made to their scheme, they desperately need a coverage specialist in their safety room. One of the best options. b class is Notre Dame's Xavier Watts. Watts' knack for making plays on the ball is up there for the best in all of college football. He finished 2024 with six interceptions and, according to PFF, allowed only 16 completions on 30 total targets. Keeping Watts in the state of Indiana should be something the Colts seriously consider if he is still available when they are on the clock in the second round.
Round 3.
80. Nicholas Singleton, RB, Penn State
This might be too early for the Colts to take a running back for some of you reading this. But they desperately need to add a competent RB option behind Jonathan Taylor for 2025. Penn State's Nicholas Singleton offers them a player who has shown flashes of being an elite runner as well as someone who has significant upside as a pass protector. Singleton would be able to take some of the workload off Taylor's back as a rookie. And he honestly had enough flashes in college that the team could hope he can develop into a future starter to take over for Taylor when his current contract is up.
Round 4.
116. Cody Lindenberg, LB, Minnesota
If there's one position Ballard has excelled at finding contributors in the draft at, its been linebacker. He's hit on many day-three selections, which may shock people that I elected to take one in the fourth round instead of later. But Minnesota's Cody Lindenberg screams a Colts draft pick. He is projected to test well and was a very productive college player whose football IQ is praised by anyone who has been around the guy. With E.J. Speed set to become a free agent, a starting job could be up for grabs, and Lindenberg could legitimately compete for a starting job as a rookie. But if he didn't win the job, his tape shows a solid rotational LB who could been great on special teams early in his career.
Round 5.
150. O'Donnell Fortune, CB, South Carolina
The Colts' cornerback room, without a doubt, outplayed expectations. Jaylon Jones and Samuel Womack had incredible seasons, considering the team drafted one in the seventh round in 2023 and claimed the other off waivers ahead of the 2024 season. However, the team is still missing a corner that has elite ball skills that can create turnovers. A day three corner that I think has high upside at the next level due to his ball skills is South Carolina's O'Donnel Fortune. I think he is remarkably underrated, and I wouldn't be shocked if his draft stock rises extensively throughout the upcoming draft cycle.
Round 6.
188. Darius Alexander, DT, Toledo
A small school defensive lineman seems like a staple in any Ballard-led Colts draft. And the team's struggles against the run desperately need more depth behind Grover Stewart and DeForest Buckner. Toledo's Darius Alexander was beyond dominant against the run, and if his tape was against teams in the SEC and the Big 10, we might be talking about him as a day-two pick. Instead, he went up against MAC schools, making people question whether his overall brute strength seen on film will translate to the NFL against pro offensive linemen. It's a fair critique, but in the sixth round, I think it's worth drafting him and finding out because if it does, he's going to be a stud.
Round 7.
232. Joshua Gray, G, Oregon State
Last but not least, the Colts add an offensive lineman for depth with upside to develop into more. Ballard and the Colts have had some pretty big hits as of late on day three offensive linemen (Will Fries, Matt Goncalves, Tanor Bortolini). Oregon State's Joshua Gray made the switch to guard from tackle this season, and he looked incredibly more comfortable in this role. Making this switch was honestly brilliant by him since many NFL teams would have likely forced him to move inside either way. He is better in the run game than pass at this moment but has shown enough flashes that lead me to believe he has the upside to become solid at both at the next level. Give Colts offensive line coach Tony Sparano this kid, and I think he could develop into a solid rotational lineman, which would be a major win out of a seventh-round pick.
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