25 Best NFL Draft Fits for the Colts Ranked by Round and Impact

We are officially one week away from when the NFL Draft is slated to kick off for the Indianapolis Colts, whose first draft selection isn't until midway through the second round (47th overall).

Without a first-round pick at their disposal, the Colts must maximize their seven draft selections, five of which are Day 3 picks (rounds 4-7). Being sidelined from Day 1 of the draft is never a positive, no matter how you shake it, though at least the draft class in question is far deeper than it is top-heavy.

Even if they had the draft capital to make a deal to get back into the first round, general manager Chris Ballard would simply never do it. Especially in a pivotal make-or-break offseason, this Colts regime must stay afloat before they drown entirely, and that means garnering as many dart throws (draft picks) as possible.

Covering the second round and beyond, here's a comprehensive list of 25 draft prospects starting who fit what the Indianapolis Colts are looking for, ranked by impact within each of their projected ranges:

Day 3 (Rounds 4-7)

25.) QB Luke Altmyer

The Illinois signal-caller would fit into head coach Shane Steichen's quarterback room as an effective RPO operator. An athletic and accurate passer, Altmyer has the makings of becoming the Colts' next Sam Ehlinger.

24.) iOL Logan Taylor

The Boston College product is a long, powerful, and versatile offensive lineman. He has starting experience across four different spots on the line and could become the latest installment of general manager Chris Ballard and OL Coach Tony Sparano Jr.'s successful draft-and-stash history.

23.) DT Kaleb Proctor

The small-school product may not have top-tier competition faced on his resume, though he certainly has the size and athletic profile to make it at the next level. Proctor was the Southland Conference Player of the Year, logging 13 tackles for loss and nine sacks in his final year at Southeastern Louisiana.

22.) S Louis Moore

Manning the Indiana Hoosiers' defensive backfield as the de facto centerfielder, Moore has become an underrated prospect at his position. Leading the team with six interceptions this past season, his ball skills, combined with his natural knack for the ball, are a worthy combination to bet on in the later rounds of the NFL Draft.

21.) LB Jack Kelly

The BYU linebacker is a top-tier athlete who flies around the ball. Kelly may not be a strong coverage defender, but he brings a high level of blitz ability and run defense that defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo has to be licking his chops at.

20.) EDGE Dani Dennis-Sutton

The ideal athletic prospect in general manager Chris Ballard's eyes, Dennis-Sutton would be the ultimate grab early on Day 3, especially if the Colts elect to wait to draft an edge rusher until then. His athletic profile is so strong that he likely gets nabbed in the third round, but if he falls to Day 3, the Colts should do whatever they can to land him.

19.) CB Devin Moore

Moore is inexperienced due to injury, having started just 17 games across four seasons at the college level. However, his profile as a press-man corner has to be something that defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo is intrigued by. I initially viewed him as a Ballard prospect of the past, but clearly, someone in the building is interested in Moore, given that the Colts have met with him in the pre-draft process.

18.) iOL Logan Jones

Jones profiles as the Colts' next backup center, slotting in as the new Danny Pinter role under starter Tanor Bortolini. His experience and reliability as an offensive snapper make for a seamless fit in Shane Steichen's offense.

17.) OT Travis Burke

The Colts have done lots of homework on Burke throughout the pre-draft process, meeting with him on multiple occasions. The massive 6'8", 325 lb tackle prospect from Memphis is an explosive athlete who OL Coach Tony Sparano Jr. would love to get his hands on.

16.) LB Aidan Fisher

One of the Indiana Hoosiers' leaders on the defense this past season, Fisher has the potential to slot in as defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo's new green dot as early as year one. He is a great communicator, and while he may not wow you, he constantly does the little things right.

Day 2 (Rounds 2-3)

15.) RB Nick Singleton

Singleton to Indianapolis almost feels like a match made in heaven. A third-down specialist by nature who sports ridiculous athleticism, he would wonderfully complement Jonathan Taylor's workload as a bellcow back.

14.) WR Elijah Sarratt

His fellow Hoosier wideout Omar Cooper Jr. has gained traction throughout the pre-draft as a first-round pick, but Sarratt is no slouch. The Colts need themselves a new starter on the outside opposite of new WR1 Alec Pierce, and he fits the bill with ease.

13.) LB Jake Golday

A former defensive end turned off-ball linebacker, Golday is super athletic and has grown a lot in his new role in a short time. He earned first-team All-Big 12 honors after leading his team with 105 tackles and adding 3.5 sacks this past season.

12.) WR Ted Hurst

A good old-fashioned Chris Ballard wide receiver prospect, Hurst is not only massive (~6'4") but he's also wildly athletic. A small-school prospect from Georgia State, Hurst's 9.90 relative athletic score is a shot that Ballard doesn't want to turn down.

11.) S A.J. Haulcy

He had more than 1,300 snaps at free safety in college, but Haulcy could benefit from making the move to strong safety and playing more in the box. He is a physical and aggressive defender from back deep, and slotting him in the Nick Cross role could benefit all parties involved.

10.) LB Kyle Louis

It's been debated whether or not Louis will/should be a safety at the next level, though his strengths in coverage far outweigh his shortcomings in the middle of the field. He could immediately slot in as the Jaylon Carlies safety-playing linebacker convert the Colts were hoping to achieve by this point.

9.) EDGE Jaishawn Barham

He's hardly scratched the surface with less than 500 career snaps at defensive end, but Barham has flashed a certain level of explosiveness that would be difficult to pass up. His play strength is already NFL-ready; the hope is that he can tap into his absurd potential.

8.) WR De'Zhaun Stribling

Stribling is a fan-favorite for a lot of fanbases, and it's easy to see why. He's big, athletic, and versatile, and his run-after-catch ability would complement Alec Pierce wonderfully.

7.) LB Josiah Trotter

Trotter is a linebacker's linebacker. He's not great in coverage, as are most at his position, but he epitomizes what the position is all about. He's a smart, hard-nosed run-stuffer who would help the Colts improve upon their league-worst third and short conversion rate from a season ago.

6.) EDGE Romello Height

He's a bit undersized at 240 lbs, but Height is a consistent pass rusher who presents an explosive athletic profile. His biggest positive in the eyes of defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo will be his knack for dropping back into coverage, which is something Anarumo loves to call for his edge rushers to muddy the waters for opposing quarterbacks. His biggest knock is that he'll be a 25-year-old rookie, but this current regime isn't in the market for the future; they're looking for immediate contributors to help right the ship. Height met with the Colts early in the pre-draft process.

5.) EDGE Zion Young

The Colts took Laiatu Latu in the first round a couple of years back, a prospect who had a deep bag of pass rush moves but lacked a power profile. Zion Young, on the other hand, is the opposite and could fit in nicely as the Kwity Paye replacement, who indeed has that power profile and plus run-defending ability.

4.) WR Chris Bell

Bell is a fun but tricky prospect who is both coming off his most productive year and a torn ACL. He is expected to be cleared by the time training camp rolls around, but the Colts, who have met with the Louisville wideout throughout the pre-draft process, could be willing to wait on him to ramp up while they lean on the passcatching trio of Alec Pierce, Tyler Warren, and Josh Downs.

3.) LB Jacob Rodriguez

Finishing fifth in Heisman voting, Rodriguez has everything the Colts are looking for in a replacement at MIKE linebacker. A tried-and-true playmaker, his otherworldly production as a starter (255 tackles, 11 forced fumbles, and 5 interceptions) on top of his experience leading the charge hints at the closest we're going to get as a potential Darius 'Shaquille' Leonard day-one impact.

2.) D'Angelo Ponds

The Colts are unlikely to use their first pick on a cornerback due to needs elsewhere; however, if Ponds is sitting there at pick 47, it'd be near impossible to turn him away. Longtime starting slot defender Kenny Moore II is expected to be traded in the near future, and his clone (minus the freakishly long arms) is the best draft option to immediately replace him.

1.) LB Anthony Hill Jr.

Viewed as the ideal Zaire Franklin replacement, Hill Jr. has all the makings of what general manager Chris Ballard and defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo want to see take over the green dot on defense. He's a younger (21 years old), bigger off-ball linebacker at 240 lbs, and sports an athletic profile worthy of an early Day 2 draft selection.

Bonus: Even though the Colts are currently slated to enter draft weekend without a first-round pick, there are a handful of prospects who are projected to land between the first and second rounds. Below is a recent article where I covered three prospects who fit the bill as fringe-first rounders who could fall within striking distance of the Colts' first draft choice (47th overall).

3 Fringe First-Rounders Who Could Fall to Colts in Second Round

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