Colts Combine Momentum Meets Nfl Draft Order Questions as Team Eyes More Picks
Standout linebacker testing at the NFL combine and an evolving pick inventory have intensified attention on the nfl draft order for Indianapolis. The Colts currently hold five selections in the 2026 draft but expect compensatory additions and see room to maneuver, leaving the middle rounds — including the 47th overall slot projected for a defender — as focal points for roster construction.
Nfl Draft Order Implications for the Colts' Five Picks
The Colts entered the offseason with five picks in the 2026 NFL Draft after trading away their first-round selection in the deadline deal that brought in an All-Pro cornerback and previously sending a sixth-round pick in a swap for a starting corner. The team is projected to receive two compensatory selections, which would bring the total to seven picks; those compensatory choices will be formally slotted when the league awards third-through-seventh-round comp picks prior to the start of the new league year, which opens at 4 p. m. ET on Wednesday, March 11.
General manager Chris Ballard has signaled an appetite to acquire more draft capital. He stated at the combine that the front office prefers building picks and that while moving up remains possible, the club expects to land additional selections — he referenced the likelihood of two compensatory picks and said he anticipates more once all is settled. That posture frames the Colts' draft strategy as flexible: with no first-round pick, emphasis shifts to extracting value across rounds three through seven and positioning to target the best available defenders where the team is projected to pick.
Linebacker Standouts at the Combine and How They Affect Strategy
The final defensive workouts produced several linebackers whose testing profiles suggest immediate NFL impact. One edge-to-linebacker convert who moved to Cincinnati after transferring earlier in his career earned first-team All-Big 12 honors in his second year at the position and measures among the largest linebackers in the class; his size and instincts were highlighted as key traits. Another prospect, Anthony Hill Jr., ranked as the third-fastest linebacker in on-field testing while opting out of the 3-cone drill and shuttle; his college production includes 250 total tackles, 17 sacks and eight forced fumbles over three seasons at Texas, underscoring versatility and turnover-creation ability. A third linebacker, a Heisman finalist and consensus first-team All-Big 12 in 2025, posted 128 total tackles along with multiple forced fumbles and interceptions, signaling playmaking credentials that translate to high-floor defensive roles.
Those performances intersect directly with the Colts' draft calculus. Indianapolis is currently projected to use the 47th overall pick on a defender; the combine testing enhances the pool of candidates who could be targeted in that mid-round window. Improved linebacker testing also increases the depth of options later in the board, reinforcing the front office’s emphasis on finding contributors outside the first round.
What Comes Next and Key Uncertainties
As compensatory picks are finalized and the new league year begins, the official draft slotting will clarify the Colts' exact position in each round. Ballard’s public comments leave open the possibility of both accumulating more picks and making trades to adjust positioning, which could alter how combine results are converted into draft selections. On the positional front, the combine produced clear linebacker candidates who could be day-one starters, and the cornerback room remains physically deep with established veterans and depth pieces, shaping where the team prioritizes capital in the coming draft.
Recent updates indicate these details may evolve as the league finalizes compensatory selections and the Colts continue evaluations. The intersection of combine standout performances and a shifting pick inventory means the nfl draft order will remain a central storyline for Indianapolis in the lead-up to April’s selections.
