Colts Mock Draft: Final 7-round prediction 2026 NFL Draft prediction has Indianapolis getting active in the trade market
Final predictive Colts 2026 NFL Mock Draft: The Colts get active on the trade market with trades up and down, as well as moving Anthony Richardson and Kenny Moore II to new homes in the league.
The 2026 NFL Draft has arrived, but the Indianapolis Colts are going to have to wait a bit longer. The team doesn’t own a first-round pick and is currently set to make their first selection at pick 47. Before that arrives, though, it feels like the time to share my final predictive mock draft.
The Colts have a lot of moving parts impacting the team ahead of the draft. The need to build more draft capital to fill various holes on their roster. And they have two ongoing trade requests that need sorting out. All of that gets solved in my official predictive Colts seven-round mock draft for the 2026 NFL Draft.
Final 7-round Colts 2026 NFL Mock Draft
Colts current picks in the 2026 NFL Draft
- Round 2: Pick 47
- Round 3: Pick 78
- Round 4: Pick 113
- Round 5: Pick 156
- Round 6: Pick 214
- Round 7: Pick 249
- Round 7: Pick 254
Trade: Colts send pick 47 to the New England Patriots for 63 and 95 (third-round)
Waiting till pick 47 probably already feels like a lifetime for a lot of fans. I do think, unless a small select group of players on the board, the Colts will likely trade back to add more draft capital, though. Here, they make a significant trade down, moving back to 63 in order to gain an extra third-round pick.
Round 2, Pick 63: Jake Golday, Cincinnati
After moving back, the Colts are targeting Cincinnati linebacker Jake Golday. Golday is a former edge rusher who converted to off-ball linebacker at Cincinnati. Still, he has a knack for rushing the passer and has solid potential in coverage for a linebacker. He’s the type of athlete the Colts want to add to the position, and I expect him to be high on their linebacker rankings for this class.
Round 3, Pick 78: Dani Dennis-Sutton, EDGE, Penn State
On top of their need for a linebacker, the Colts are desperate for a difference maker at edge to compete to start opposite Laiatu Latu. I still think it would be wiser to trade for a starter, but if they can’t figure that out, Dani Dennis-Sutton checks a lot of boxes. He’s a fantastic athlete with incredible size and length. He is also reliable in coverage, which Lou Anarumo asks of his edge room more than your typical defensive coordinator.
Round 3, Pick 95: De’Zhaun Stribling, WR, Ole Miss
It’s no secret how much I love the fit of De’Zhaun Stribling and the Colts during the draft process. I think Stribling is exactly what they are looking to add at wide receiver. And I think he could be a day-one starter alongside Alec Pierce and Josh Downs. He is a shifty route runner and a YAC monster.
Round 4, Pick 113: Tacario Davis, CB, Washington
With the news of Kenny Moore II expected to be traded, adding more depth at corner became a need for the Colts. I don’t think we will see the team target one on day two, but early on day three seems about right. Washington’s Tacario Davis has the size and speed Lou Anarumo typically covets at the position and would be a solid outside-corner depth piece, with the team currently lacking depth that fits the current scheme.
Round 5, Pick 156: VJ Payne, S, Kansas State
Kansas State safety VJ Payne is one of my favorite players in this class. He played so many different roles for the Wildcats and did them at a high level. He projects as a player who would be comfortable playing either safety position, slot corner, or even outside corner. For the Colts I would put him at strong safety, he would be a bigger upgrade in coverage over Nick Cross but would be a step back as a run defender. Though Payne’s tape is filled with him lighting up ball carriers with hard hits.
Trade: Colts send Kenny Moore II to the Kansas City Chiefs for pick 169 (fifth-round)
Here it is, I have the Colts dealing nine-year corner Moore to the Chiefs for a fifth-round pick. I believe the Colts will do right by Moore and find him a spot he values for his next stop. The Chiefs are AFC contenders, and he would fit well in Steve Spagnuolo’s defense.
Round 5: Pick 169: Kaelon Black, RB, Indiana
An underrated need in this class for the Colts is finding running back depth behind Jonathan Taylor. They still have high hopes for DJ Giddens, but he didn’t put it together as a rookie. The team needs to add competition for him, and I have them doing just that by selecting Indiana’s Kaelon Black. Black was one-half of a dynamic running back duo for the Hoosiers. He runs angry between the tackles and is a proven blocker out of the backfield.
Trade: Colts send Anthony Richardson to the Green Bay Packers for pick 201 (sixth-round) and a 2027 sixth that becomes a fifth if he re-signs with Green Bay
I have the Colts officially ending the Anthony Richardson experiment by sending him to the Packers. In exchange for a sixth this year and a sixth next year, which can turn into a fifth if he re-signs with Green Bay, the Colts move on from the former fourth overall pick.
Round 6 Pick 201: Matt Gulbin, C, Michigan State
After the trade, the Colts target Michigan State center Matt Gulbin. The Colts lost backup center Danny Pinter to the Baltimore Ravens in free agency. They now need to find Tanor Bortolini’s backup for the 2026 season elsewhere. Gulbin would be a solid add who can compete for that role right away.
Round 6 Pick 214: Uar Bernard, DT, Nigeria
Uar Bernard is one of the most interesting players in this draft class. One reason being he isn’t comeing out f the NCAA at all which makes him a abit more of an unknonw. Secondly, because he is an athletic marvel, Chris Ballard is always looking for high upside players like this in the draft or via UDFAs. And it’s notable that the Colts hosted him for a top-30 visit. So why not just throw a shot at the dart board here in the sixth?
Trade: Colts send picks 249 and 254 to the Buffalo Bills for pick 220 (seventh-round)
One last trade for the road as the Colts pair their final two sevenths to move up over 20 spots to land an offensive lineman that I think would compete for a roster spot.
Round 7 Pick 220: Enrique Cruz, OT, Kansas
Kansas’ Enrique Cruz has solid size at 6-5 and an impressive wingspan of 82 3/4″. He is a solid athlete for the position and showed out at the scouting combine. A 4.94 40-yard dash highlighted his testing. This was the fourth fastest time by any tackle in attendance at the event. He was only a one-year starter at Kansas in 2025 and had only one full season as a starter at Syracuse in 2023. I like his upside to compete for the Colts’ swing tackle spot with Blake Freeland.
