One of the best there is in the NFL draft business, Daniel Jeremiah, put out version 4.0 of his top 50 prospects big board. So how does it align with where the Indianapolis Colts' biggest positions of need lie?
Positional need obviously plays a key role in how a team goes about attacking the draft, but a powerful variable in all of this can be where the strength of the draft class is.
That element can play a role in determining if a team moves around the draft board--up or down--or if they prioritize one position over another early on, because there may be less high-end talent later on in the draft.
Let's see how things break down positionally on Jeremiah's early-round big board and how it all applies to the Colts.
Positional breakdown of Jeremiah's top 50 big board
- Quarterback: 3
- Running back: 5
- Wide receiver: 4
- Tight end: 4
- Offensive tackle: 6
- Interior offensive lineman: 3
- Defensive end: 9
- Defensive tackle: 5
- Linebacker: 2
- Cornerback: 7
- Safety: 2
Colts specific observations from the big board
- The Colts need to add to the linebacker position. They need both depth and, ideally, some competition for Jaylon Carlies for that starting role. However, unless they want to take Jihaad Campbell at pick No. 14--which does make some sense--then they may not end up addressing this position until the third round or end up potentially reaching in Round 2.
- A defensive end pick in the first two rounds very much could be in play. It's a position GM Chris Ballard covets, there's a ton of talent, and don't forget, the draft is about planning ahead, and as we look ahead to 2026, Kwity Paye, Samson Ebukam, and Tyquan Lewis are all free agents.
- From top to bottom, there is good depth at the tight end position, but when it comes to landing one of the top four prospects, if the Colts don't address that need in Round 1, it's possible that all four of those players are off the board by the time they are pick again at 45.
- Ballard was aggressive in bringing in Cam Bynum at safety, which was a good thing for a number of reasons, one of which is that this year's safety class isn't all that deep.
- Does who the Colts draft along the offensive line dictate where Matt Goncalves lines up? For example, with there being a good number of tackle options in Jeremiah's top 50, if the Colts land one of those prospects, does that free them up to move Goncalves inside? As Shane Steichen discussed recently, both through free agency and the draft, the Colts are still exploring options at this position group.
- If you're the Colts, those positions that aren't early round priorities, like receiver, running back, quarterback, and cornerback, you're hoping a lot of those players go ahead of you, which in turn, will push down players from other position ...
