Colts take a significant risk in a new 2025 NFL mock draft but it might be their best option if they stay put at pick 14
The Indianapolis Colts have had an active start to the 2025 NFL offseason. The team has made multiple upgrades to its defense, signing star corner Charvarius Ward and safety Cam Bynum. The team's biggest need remaining on that side of the ball is a linebacker, and the best fit in the class to fill that hole […]
The Indianapolis Colts have had an active start to the 2025 NFL offseason. The team has made multiple upgrades to its defense, signing star corner Charvarius Ward and safety Cam Bynum.
The team's biggest need remaining on that side of the ball is a linebacker, and the best fit in the class to fill that hole would be Alabama's Jihaad Campbell. But there is more risk with that selection than many realized due to recent news surrounding the. A new A to Z Sports mock draft still has the Colts using their first-round pick on Campbell, and it still might be the best option if the team stays put at pick 14.
Colts select Alabama linebacker Jihaad Campbell in a new 2025 NFL mock draft despite his recent surgery
"There's a lot of talk about Jalon Walker's ability to be a versatile star at linebacker and on the edge, but Jihaad Campbell is even better in the role. He also has the size advantage, so I'm not sure why the hype isn't the same. The Colts know the value of a high-end linebacker and would maximize Campbell's massive potential."
– New A to Z Sports mock draft
The Colts already lost one key contributor at LB this offseason with Grant Stuard with the Detroit Lions. And 2024 starter EJ Speed remains a free agent. The team needs to add to their LB room, and would be wise to find at least one option that can compete with Jaylon Carlies for the team's second starting linebacker opposite of Zaire Franklin.
Campbell would pretty clearly become a starter for the Colts if the team selected him with pick 14. Before the news of his injury, I think Campbell likely wouldn't have made it to the Colts, and if he makes it there now, I think he is, without a doubt, worth the risk. His full skill set makes him a unique LB prospect, which is why he is worth being taken in the first round, even in an era of the NFL where the position isn't typically believed to be worth using premium draft capital on.