The Indianapolis Colts reviewed a range of expert mock drafts on March 23, as the team prepares for the upcoming 2026 National Football League Draft, which is set to take place in Pittsburgh in one month.
With two weeks passed since the start of NFL free agency, most major signings have already occurred and teams are now turning their attention to draft preparations. According to the team, significant roster moves are not expected until after the draft, when free agent signings will no longer impact compensatory pick calculations. Collegiate pro days are ongoing and teams plan to host prospects for visits in the coming weeks.
The Colts outlined several mock draft scenarios from national experts. Among them, Chad Reuter from NFL.com projected Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez as a potential pick at No. 47 overall and Indiana wide receiver Elijah Sarratt at No. 78 overall in his March 20 update. Josh Edwards of CBS Sports suggested Texas linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. at No. 47 on March 19 and repeated that projection with Arkansas running back Mike Washington Jr. at No. 78 on March 13.
Other analysts offered different combinations: Nate Davis and Ayrton Ostly from USA Today predicted Indiana wide receiver Elijah Sarratt would be chosen with the Colts’ first selection; Luke Easterling from Athlon Sports listed Indiana cornerback D’Angelo Ponds and Texas A&M tackle Dametrious Crownover as possible picks; while Jacob Infante from Pro Football Network mentioned Alabama wide receiver Germie Bernard alongside Tennessee defensive end Joshua Josephs.
Further projections included Oklahoma defensive end R Mason Thomas by both Max Chadwick (Pro Football Focus) and Matt Miller (ESPN), Cincinnati linebacker Jake Golday by Dane Brugler (The Athletic), Georgia State wide receiver Ted Hurst by Brent Sobleski (Bleacher Report), Illinois defensive end Gabe Jacas by Jordan Reid (ESPN), Alabama defensive end LT Overton by Vinnie Iyer (The Sporting News), Missouri linebacker Josiah Trotter by Dalton Wasserman (Pro Football Focus), Florida defensive tackle Caleb Banks by Chad Reuter again, Miami defensive end Ahkeem Mesidor by Nick Baumgardner (The Athletic), and others over several weekly updates dating back to January.
As teams across the league finalize their evaluations leading up to April’s draft, these mock drafts provide insight into how outside experts view each team’s needs and priorities based on recent roster changes.
