Meet the Indianapolis Colts' entire 2025 NFL Draft class from first-round pick Tyler Warren to seventh-round sleeper Hunter Wohler
The Indianapolis Colts started the 2025 NFL Draft with a big splash by landing a player most of the draft class was banging the table for all offseason in Penn State TE Tyler Warren. After that, they didn't swing for many high-ceiling type players in years past; instead, they added proven players with significant starting experience. […]
The Indianapolis Colts started the 2025 NFL Draft with a big splash by landing a player most of the draft class was banging the table for all offseason in Penn State TE Tyler Warren.
After that, they didn't swing for many high-ceiling type players in years past; instead, they added proven players with significant starting experience. And now that every pick has been made, let's take some time to meet the Colts' 2025 NFL Draft class.
Meet the Colts 2025 NFL Draft Class
Penn State TE Tyler Warren
Pick: 14th in the first round
The player who was linked to the Colts the most throughout the draft cycle was Penn State TE Tyler Warren. The team had a major need at TE, and it was clear from the start that he was the best fit for Shane Steichen's offense at the position.
Warren will now enter training camp as the Colts' top TE on the roster and will most likely be named a starter from the jump. His ability to make contested catches and be a plus in the run game will elevate the Colts' offense in 2025. Outside of Anthony Richardson's rookie year, I think Tyler Warren will generate the most fan excitement of any Colts first-round pick in recent memory.
Ohio State DE JT Tuimoloau
Pick: 45th in the second round
The Colts added the highest-ranked high school commit in Ohio State's history by selecting JT Tuimoloau in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Tuimoloau brings dominant strength to the Colts' defensive line. And he also gives the team just their second edge rusher that is currently under contract past the 2025 season.
Tuimoloau is going to be awesome against the run from the moment he walks onto a field with a Colts jersey on. And he is coming off the most impressive stretch of games in terms of rushing the passer of his college career. The Colts seem to think Laiatu Latu and JT Tuimoloau could be the future starting duo out of the edge room. During his rookie year, though, I expect him to be the primary backup to Kwity Paye.
Minnesota CB Justin Walley
Pick: 80th in the third round
The Colts shocked their fan base by selecting Minnesota CB Justin Walley. Walley was projected to be a mid-day three selection, but as Chris Ballard noted, "We scout them, we pick them." And pick him he did with the 80th pick in the third round.
Walley is smaller than the typical CB Ballard has coveted. But he possesses fantastic ball skills and aced character evaluations during the cycle. He also ran a 4.38 40-yard dash and has expierence playing in the slot and as an outside CB. Some may think this was a reach, but the Colts are pumped to get Walley, and they seem to think he will get on the field early this season.
Iowa State OT Jalen Travis
Pick: 127th in the fourth round
While many expected the Colts to add to their offensive line early, they elected to wait until the fourth round to do so. And it wasn't at guard like many expected; they instead added Iowa State tackle Jalen Travis. Travis is a massive man, standing 6-8 and weighing 339 lbs.
And even though he is gigantic, his athleticism doesn't fall off like you would assume. He tested as an elite athlete as a tackle with a 9.08 RAS score, with his 5.14 40-yard dash, 9'04" broad jump, and an absurd 35" vertical. Recording that vertical at his size is already wild, but just to put it into perspective, it is slightly less than the 35.5" vertical put up by former NBA star Blake Griffin, who is notoriously known for his hops. And I guess that explains why Travis also played basketball in high school. I expect Travis to compete to be the Colts' swing tackle in training camp with Blake Freeland.
Kansas State RB DJ Giddens
Pick: 151st in the fifth round
The Colts needed to add an RB from this stacked class, and they did so in the fifth round by selecting Kansas State's DJ Giddens. Giddens adds needed juice to the RB room behind Jonathan Taylor. He comes off a very productive career at Kansas State, where he rushed for over 1,200 yards and at least seven touchdowns in each of the last two seasons.
He isn't the exact type of RB I was expecting the Colts to target. I thought the team would look to add a more proven pass blocker behind Taylor. But Giddens has solid size for the position at 6-0 and 212 lbs, so maybe the Colts think he can develop in that regard over time. I think Giddens pencils in as Taylor's backup immediately, with his only competition currently on the roster being veteran Khalil Herbert.
Notre Dame QB Riley Leonard
Pick: 189th in the sixth round
The Colts selected Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard with the first of two sixth-round picks. Leonard led the Fighting Irish to the National Championship in his lone season with the program. He transferred to Notre Dame ahead of the 2024 season after a three-year career at Duke. And he's staying in state by being drafted by the Colts.
Leonard has some obvious limitations, but after his second season at Duke, many people were predicting that he would be a future first-round pick. Those expectations obviously were never met as he ended up being drafted in the sixth round, but he has some very intriguing traits that led him to be linked to the Colts throughout the draft cycle. He is being drafted to compete with Jason Bean to be the Colts' QB three behind Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones. I think Leonard's college experience and more polished throwing base give him the edge over Bean and will lead to him being a long-term backup in the NFL.
Alabama DT Tim Smith
Pick: 190th in the sixth round
The Colts needed to land a backup for Grover Stewart in this draft, and they did so in the sixth round by taking DT Tim Smith out of Alabama. He measured 6-4, weighed 306 lbs, and spent time at multiple positions on the Crimson Tide's defensive line.
While his position versatility is intriguing, I think the Colts are drafting him with the hope that he can be an NT for the team. This was his main role at Alabama, where he lined up as a 1T. It would make sense why the Colts were willing to stray away from their typical elite athlete type in the draft to add a player who was very productive at one of the best football programs in college football.
Wisconsin, LB/S, Hunter Wohler
Pick: 232nd in the seventh round
The Colts made an interesting decision with their final selection in the 2025 NFL Draft class. They selected Wisconsin safety Hunter Wohler, but the team elected to announce that they plan to move him to LB immediately. The team did the same thing last year with Missouri safety Jaylin Carlies, and he had a lot of success there during his rookie year.
Wohler will now have the chance to compete to make the Colts roster, and with their thin LB room, he has a much better shot than your typical seventh-round pick. If the move to LB can lead to him being a plus in coverage, his role on defense with the team in year one could be larger than expected. This is a perfect example of a low-risk, high-reward type move that the Colts have made countless times during the seventh round over the years.
The Colts granted the fan base’s biggest wish by selecting Penn State TE Tyler Warren in the 2025 NFL Draft
It's not often that things go exactly as the Indianapolis Colts hoped in the NFL Draft. But thankfully, the 2025 NFL Draft played out exactly how the Colts were hoping as they finally landed the tight end their fan base has been begging for all offseason long. Tyler Warren is officially a Colt. Colts select […]
