Colts mock draft: Indianapolis’ 7-round haul includes the final piece at WR, and an explosive athlete on the defensive line
A brand new Indianapolis Colts 7-round 2026 NFL Mock Draft looks at what the team’s draft haul could look like if they prioritize taking the best wide receiver available at pick 47 in round two.
The 2026 NFL Draft is less than a week away from kicking off on Thursday, April 23. The Indianapolis Colts won’t make their first selection till day two. The team currently owns pick 47 in the second round as their top draft selection, after trading their first-round pick for Sauce Gardner.
I am in the middle of a four-part series where I build Colts ‘ seven-round mock drafts based on a different position being selected in round two. This article will discuss a position that is being underrated as a potential target for round two: wide receiver.
Check out the other mock drafts in this series:
LB – EDGE – S (coming soon)
Colts 7-round mock draft: WR is a bigger need than fans realize
To give Alec Pierce his massive extension, the Colts had to make a tough decision. They traded away longtime starter and team captain Michael Pittman Jr. to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The team is now in serious need of a second outside wide receiver opposite Pierce. The Colts plan to try Josh Downs outside more this year, but in three-wide receiver sets, it would be best for him to stay in the slot. So what could the Colts’ draft haul look like if they go wide receiver in round two? Let’s take a look.
Round 2, Pick 47: Alabama WR Germie Bernard
Germie Bernard is one of the top wide receivers in this year’s class, out of Alabama. He is expected to hear his name called in round two. He’s got solid size at 6-1 to play on the outside at the pro level. His skill set includes being an intelligent route runner who generates solid separation. Sounds like a great complement to Pierce’s deep-ball ability, if you ask me.
I also don’t think the Colts plan to replace Pittman with just a player of his style. I think they may want a bit more juice at the position going forward. Bernard has sub-4.5 speed (4.48 40-yard dash), and he had the fastest three-cone time of any wide receiver at the combine this year.
Round 3, Pick 78: Penn State EDGE Dani Dennis-Sutton
The first thing to discuss about Dani Dennis-Sutton out of Penn State is his elite athleticism. He put on a show at the scouting combine with a 4.63 40-yard dash, 39 1/2″ vertical, and a 10’11” broad jump. He recorded 17 sacks over the last two years with the Nittany Lions and was a two-time Third Team All-Big Ten selection.
The Colts need to find a player in this class with the potential of becoming a productive speed rusher to play opposite Laiatu Latu. Dennis-Sutton fits that bill and is also a reliable run defender. An under-the-radar skill he has is dropping back into coverage. Lou Anarumo tends to ask his edge rushers to do more often than the league average.
Round 4 pick 113: South Carolina S Jalon Kilgore
The Colts lost Nick Cross to the Washington Commanders in free agency, which opens up the need for a starting safety. Jalon Kilgore, out of South Carolina, has the flexibility to play either safety spot. The same can be said about current Colts safety Cam Bynum.
I think a duo of Bynum and Kilgore would give Anarumo a lot of creativity in how he deploys them. Kilgore has proven his ball skills, including leading the SEC with 5 interceptions in 2024. His athleticism and aggressive nature also give him a lot of upside as an attacking run defender. In round four, I think he is worth the risk for the Colts to bet on his upside.
Round 5 pick 156: California CB Hezeikiah Masses
The Colts permitting Kenny Moore II to seek a trade makes the corner position a need in the draft. It doesn’t necessarily make a slot corner to replace Moore, though. The team wants second-year player Justin Walley to slide into that spot. But adding outside depth that can potentially become a starter in the future would make a lot of sense.
California’s Hezekiah Masses is a sleeper target at the corner in this year’s class. He spent the first four years at FIU and transferred to California. He had the best year of his career after making the jump up to the ACC, recording a career high and team high five interceptions, and led the FBS with 13 pass deflections.
Round 6 pick 214: BYU LB Jack Kelly
Waiting till the sixth round to go linebacker is probably the biggest shock of this mock draft. It is a major need for the Colts, but the reality is that Chris Ballard has had a lot of success finding linebackers late in the draft.
So waiting at the position is definitely possible. BYU’s Jack Kelly is one of the most underrated players in this year’s class. He is expected to be a day three pick and is someone I graded as a top-100 player in the class. Even as a sixth-round pick here, I think he would end up competing to be a day-one starter.
Round 7 pick 249: Louisiana LB Jaden Dugger
Jaden Dugger began his college career at Georgetown before transferring to Louisiana for the final two years of his college career. His athletic profile is exciting, including a 4.60 40-yard dash and a 10’6″ broad jump. And he has great size at just over 6-4 and around 240lbs.
He is the exact type of project player teams like to bet on late in the draft. And I think the Colts would be smart to take multiple shots at the position in this year’s class.
Round 7 pick 254: Kentucky C/G Jager Burton
Jager Burton, out of Kentucky, will be able to compete to play any of the three interior line positions. The Colts’ offensive line lost a key starter in Braden Smith at right tackle, but already have his replacement on the roster in Jalen Travis. Their depth is a major issue, though. They lost backup center Danny Pinter to the Baltimore Ravens, so Burton would be a solid option to slide right in and compete to be Tanor Bortolini’s backup in 2026.
Colts mock draft full summary:
This draft would be a pretty exciting haul. They would land four players, I believe, who would compete to be day-one starters: Bernard, Dennis-Sutton, Kilgore, and Kelly. And they would be adding high upside depth pieces to develop in Masses, Duggar, and Burton. All seven picks would have a solid shot at making the Colts 53-man roster.
Join in on the mock draft fun by using the new A to Z Mock Draft Simulator.
