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Hicks: Predictive 7-Round Indianapolis Colts Mock Draft
How will things shake out for the Indianapolis Colts in all seven rounds of the 2024 NFL Draft?
The 2024 NFL Draft is just under three weeks away, and the Indianapolis Colts have quite a few needs to fill on the roster. General manager Chris Ballard will have to juggle if he wants to go for need early (cornerback) or sacrifice immediate need for an instant upgrade at a premium position (wide receiver or edge rusher).
Today’s Mock Draft Monday will be a predictive look at what I think the Colts would do if the draft were held today. These predictions are more about the types of players that the Colts tend to draft rather than any insider information, so please don’t treat the player names in this as set in stone.
Without further ado, let’s dive into today’s mock draft.
TRADE: Colts send 15th overall pick to Pittsburgh Steelers for 20th overall pick, 84th overall pick, and 195th overall pick
Ballard has made seven trades involving top-50 selections in his career. Six of those seven trades were trade-backs, including two major first-round trade-backs in 2018 and 2019. He firmly believes in stockpiling draft picks to have more shots at finding young talent, so it seems likely that the Colts would move back from the 15th overall pick come draft night. This move would give the team another top-100 selection to have another shot at adding a quality player to their roster.
Round 1, Pick 20: Jared Verse, DE, Florida State
The Colts go with a little bit of a surprise here in round one of this mock draft, opting to take the talented edge rusher from Florida State over reaching for a need at cornerback or taking a receiver. With both Kwity Paye and Dayo Odeyingbo nearing free agency (in 2025), the Colts would be wise to restock the cupboard with another young pass rusher in the mix.
Verse, 23, is coming off back-to-back 9.0-sack seasons for the Seminoles and is one of the better pass-rushing prospects in this draft class. He possesses every trait the Colts look for in pass-rusher prospects, with fantastic explosive testing and long arms to boot. He has fantastic play strength and pop in his hands to be an immediate contributor to an already strong defensive line in Indianapolis.
Verse may be a bit of a surprise come draft day, but he fits the Colts’ typical mold at the position and could help the team ease the potential loss of Paye and/or Odeyingbo in 2025.
Round 2, Pick 46: Troy Franklin, WR, Oregon
The Colts have been after a big-play receiver for quite a while, asking specifically for Christian Watson and Jaylen Waddle in Jonathan Taylor trade discussions last season. Those trade talks never landed, but the team has sent massive contingents to Oregon, Texas, and LSU pro days to get an in-person look at the best speedy receivers in the class. With Brian Thomas Jr., Xavier Worthy, and Adonai Mitchell all off the board by this point, Troy Franklin seems like a great fit at 46.
Franklin is a bit slimmer than the typical Ballard wide receiver, but he makes up for it with next-level speed and explosion. He can truly stretch a defense, and his vertical ability was on display for the past two seasons at Oregon. He accumulated 142 receptions for 2,274 yards and 23 touchdowns over the last two seasons as the top target in one of college football’s top-tier offenses.
Franklin may not be the most complete player, but his skill set in Shane Steichen’s vertical offense would be the perfect fit.
Round 3, Pick 82: Jaden Hicks, S, Washington State
The Colts could go many different directions with this third-round selection, but this has always been the sweet spot for Ballard to address safety in the past. With Julian Blackmon on a one-year deal and both Nick Cross and Rodney Thomas II entering make-or-break seasons, this is the perfect time to add another young player into the mix.
Hicks is a former cornerback that has a ton of athletic upside at the next level. He moves with great fluidity and can even come down into the box and cover tight ends in man coverage. His instincts and ball skills also make him a prime candidate to play some free safety at the next level, the position that the Colts desperately need another body at the moment.
Hicks is a versatile chess piece that would go a long way in upgrading the team’s safety room heading into the 2024 season.
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Round 3, Pick 84 (From Pittsburgh): Cam Hart, CB, Notre Dame
Ballard’s love of massive cornerbacks is well documented, so it’s going to be hard for him to ignore the size and coverage ability of Notre Dame’s Cam Hart. JuJu Brents, Jaylon Jones, and Dallis Flowers currently sit atop the Colts’ cornerback room as outside players, so the team would be wise to add another top-100 pick to the mix for competition.
Hart may be a bit redundant in the Colts’ current room, but he has the size and length to make an impact from day one. He was a lockdown player for the Fighting Irish a year ago, allowing just 137 yards in coverage and 0 touchdowns when targeted. He carried that strong play over to the Senior Bowl, standing out for scouts and media members in attendance.
Hart gives the Colts’ cornerback room another promising young player to throw into the mix to start in 2024.
Round 4, Pick 117: Brandon Coleman, IOL, TCU
Will Fries and Ryan Kelly are set to be free agents in 2025 and, at the moment, the team doesn’t really have a succession plan for either one of them. Even if the team elects to bring back both players, it would be smart to add another capable body as depth behind them. Brandon Coleman is a rare athlete with the perfect skill set that the Colts look for.
Coleman has spent some time in college at both guard and tackle, but his best spot in the pros may be inside. He is coming off of a rough 2023 season, but that could help his talent fall to the Colts in round four. Tony Sparano Jr. is sure to get the most out of this freak athlete on day three of the draft.
Round 5, Pick 151: Chigozie Anusiem, CB, Colorado State
The Colts double-dip at the cornerback position in this draft, adding yet another massive cornerback to the mix. Anusiem is flying under the radar in this class despite being one of the best open-field tacklers in the entire draft. His frame and athleticism should add ample competition to the bottom of the roster and truly make this cornerback room a battle among young, lengthy players.
Round 6, Pick 191: Kimani Vidal, RB, Troy
The Colts’ running back room could use another addition, and Vidal was one of the more productive backs in college football over the past two seasons. His rugged style of running would pair perfectly with Taylor and he has the capability to be a legit second option in the Colts’ zone-heavy rushing attack. Plus, he is a strong pass blocker, which is an added bonus on day three of the draft.
Round 6, Pick 195 (From Pittsburgh): Ryan Flournoy, WR, Southeast Missouri State
Ballard loves his small school draft picks, and Flournoy appears to be one of the better options in this class. He possesses excellent size, speed, and explosion for the position and his flashes at the Senior Bowl were mighty impressive. Flournoy would likely take a similar roster path to Ashton Dulin as a special teams ace with the potential to move into a more prominent role over time.
Round 7, Pick 234: Jonah Laulu, DT, Oklahoma
The Colts conclude this mock draft with a shot on traits at the defensive tackle position. Laulu was a rotational defensive tackle at Oklahoma in his career, but a fantastic pro day has caught the eyes of many in the NFL. He has the traits to be an explosive three-tech in the NFL, and the Colts love to take shots at this position late in the draft. Keep an eye on this name as we get closer to draft day, Colts fans.
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