Build-A-Ballard: Offensive Tackles the Colts May Target in the 2026 NFL Draft

The Build-A-Ballard series is back just in time for the 2026 NFL Draft. With the draft a little under a week a way, it's time to look at which players best fit the Indianapolis Colts and the Chris Ballard mold.

For those who are unaware of this series, Build-A-Ballard uses past information about Colts general manager Chris Ballard-led draft classes in order to predict players that he will be high on in the upcoming class. Ballard is a strong believer in testing numbers, so this series has been able to produce quite a few hits since it debuted in 2019.

This year's edition will offer a slight change-up, as Ballard has begun to mold his archetype to fit his coaches on the offensive and the defensive sides of the ball. So, in order to filter out some of the noise and account for those variables, the series will also factor in notable picks made by teams that had heavy influence from Shane Steichen and Lou Anarumo (depending on which side of the ball is under the microscope).

Without further ado, let's dive into the offensive tackle group in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Past Drafted Players by Chris Ballard

Ballard hasn't targeted offensive tackle in the draft too often in his career, but his hit rate is rock solid when he has. Bernhard Raimann and Braden Smith emerged as long-term starters, while Jalen Travis appears to be the next man up for 2026.

Zach Banner, USC (137th overall pick in 2017): Ballard's first swing at the tackle position was his worst, as Banner didn't even make the Colts' roster out of training camp. He bounced around a few spots before landing in Pittsburgh, where he played four seasons with the team from 2018 to 2021. He has been out of the NFL since the 2021 season.

Braden Smith, Auburn (37th overall pick in 2018): A multi-year starter at guard in college, Smith was kicked out to tackle during his rookie season with the Colts out of desperation. The move proved to be a good one, as Smith would go on to start 105 games over the next eight seasons with the team. Injuries piled up in recent seasons, so he ultimately left in free agency this offseason, electing to sign with the Houston Texans.

Bernhard Raimann, Central Michigan (77th overall pick in 2022): The Colts swung for the fences with Raimann, a former tight end that didn't even start playing football until late in his high school career. That bet on athletic traits paid off, as Raimann has started 56 games for the Colts since 2022. He was rewarded with a massive extension last offseason, and will be the team's left tackle for the foreseeable future.

Blake Freeland, BYU (106th overall pick in 2023): Freeland was well worth the investment in round four, as he boasted elite athletic traits and a hefty amount of experience out of college. Unfortunately, this pick simply hasn't worked out. Freeland has struggled in nine career starts, and he suffered a major ankle injury last preseason. He now enters a make-or-break fourth year in Indy.

Jalen Travis, Iowa State (127th overall pick in 2024): A former Princeton grad with elite size and explosiveness, Travis was worth a shot on day three of the draft. He served as a reserve player until the final month of the 2025 season, where he started four games to close out his rookie campaign. He looks to be the starting right tackle heading into 2026.

Past Drafted Players by Tony Sparano Jr.

Aug 4, 2025; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants offensive tackle Evan Neal (73) on the field during training camp at Quest Diagnostics Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Sparano Jr.'s first shot as an offensive line coach came here with the Colts, so it's hard to put too much stock in what some of his mentors preferred in past drafts. Regardless, it doesn't hurt to look at some of these archetypes to get a feel for what he likes at the position.

Cam Robinson, Alabama (34th overall pick in 2017): Robinson was a highly touted tackle out of Alabama that slipped to round two back in 2017. After a solid eight year stint with the Jaguars, he has been one the NFL's top mercenary tackles, starting games for Minnesota, Cleveland, and Houston in recent seasons. He is currently a free agent.

Jawaan Taylor, Florida (35th overall pick in 2019): The Jaguars took a swing on Taylor in round two of the 2019 draft, and he gave them four solid seasons of play on a rookie contract. The Chiefs paid Taylor big money to be their left tackle in 2023, and that decision received mixed results. He's currently a member of the Atlanta Falcons heading into 2026.

Evan Neal, Alabama (7th overall pick in 2022): Neal is one of the bigger busts in recent memory in the NFL. After struggling at tackle to start his career, the Giants kicked him inside to play guard in 2025, slightly salvaging his career. He missed most of last season due to an injury, and signed a veteran minimum contract to return to the Giants in 2026.

2026 Thresholds

Adding in Sparano's players alongside the five notable Chris Ballard draft picks paints a clear of the archetype the Colts are looking for. One thing to keep in mind is just how much Sparano praised Jalen Travis for his size and his arm length in the pre-draft process last offseason. That, alongside Sparano's history of being on staffs that value those traits, means that height, weight, and arm length will weigh heavily in this year's tackle breakdown.

~ 6'6" 310+ pounds with 34 inch arms or longer (Raimann and Freeland were the only two players to come up just short in the weight category).

~ Forty yard dash time under 5.15 seconds and a 10-yard split under 1.8 seconds (Banner was the only player to miss this threshold in the past).

~ Elite explsoive scores. 30+ inch vertical jump and 112+ inch broad jump (Banner and Robinson were the only two to miss this threshold in the past).

~ At least 2,300 offensive snaps played in college (Travis was the only player to miss this threshold).

~ Senior Bowl Appearance (all upperclassmen that were drafted in the past attended the Senior Bowl).

The 2026 NFL Draft Top 7 Fits

A Bar — Nov 16, 2024; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Florida Gators offensive lineman Austin Barber (58) cheers with Florida Gators running back Jadan Baugh (13) after a game against the LSU Tigers at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images | Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

The top eight fits in this Build-A-Ballard will be broken up into three categories to properly show the tiers of how they fit. This is unique to just this position group, but it made more sense to do it this way when you see the results.

The Best Fits

1.) Dametrious Crownover, Texas A&M - A near-perfect fit, Crownover's lone setbacks were his lack of experience (just 1,886 snaps played in college) and his lack of explosive testing. He is a mammoth of an offensive tackle with quick feet and long arms. He performed well at the Senior Bowl this offseason, and he is a former tight end as well. He is eerily simialr to the profile that Jalen Travis had last offseason.

2.) Austin Barber, Florida - Barber just narrowly missed the arm length requirement and the broad jump number, but he scored highly in every other category. A bruising power-player, Barber puts defenders in the dirt with effortless power on film. He had a strong Senior Bowl week and he projects as an early day three pick (at the latest) in this draft class.

3.) Diego Pounds, Ole Miss - A late riser in this draft cycle, Pounds is a rugged 330 pound tackle that just narrowly missed the arm length threshold. He was also a Shrine Bowl invote rather than a Senior Bowl player, but he tested phenomenally this offseason. His stock has climbed as high as round three in recent weeks, making him a hot commodity in the draft community.

Athletic, Yet Undersized

4.) Drew Shelton, Penn State - Shelton is one of the better athletes in this draft class, posting excellent explosive numbers despite coming in a bit on the smaller side. He's an experienced zone blocker with over 2,400 college snaps, and he excelled at the Shrine Bowl this offseason.

5.) Jude Bowry, Boston College - Bowry is one of the more explosive athletes in this draft class, but he came in just slightly under the size thresholds. His pass blocking is a thing of beauty on film, despite limited college snaps, and there's a lot to work with in his game.

Massive Yet Missed Athletic Thresholds

6.) Travis Burke, Memphis - Burke is an insanely large human being at 6'8" 332 pouds, and he plays with a mean demeanor on film. He missed the explosive numbers that the Colts look for, but his size profile could be enough for Sparano to fall in love.

7.) Markel Bell, Miami - Bell is somehow even larger than Burke, coming in at 6'9" 349 pounds this draft cycle. With a late season limiting training time, and Bell's historically large frame, he struggled to come close to the Colts' preferred testing numbers. His elite 36.375 inch wing span might win Sparano over, however.

Day Three Fliers to Take a Chance on

1.) Riley Mahlman, Wisconsin: 6'8" 308 pounds with 32 1/4 inch arms. Vertical Jump: 30 inches / Broad Jump: 106 inches / 3-Cone Drill: 7.69 seconds / Short-Shuttle: 4.59 seconds.

2.) Kahlil Benson, Indiana: 6'5" 321 pounds with 34 5/8 inch arms. Forty Yard Dash: 5.08 seconds / Vertical Jump: 30.5 inches / Broad Jump: 109 inches / 3-Cone Drill: 7.8 seconds / Short-Shuttle: 4.78 seconds.

3.) Paul Rubelt, UCF: 6'10" 313 pounds with 35 7/8 inch arms. Forty Yard Dash: 4.99 seconds / Vertical Jump: 32 inches / Broad Jump: 116 inches / 3-Cone Drill: 8.01 seconds / Short-Shuttle: 4.68 seconds.

4.) Erick Cade, Missouri State: 6'5" 334 pounds with 35 5/8 inch arms. Forty Yard Dash: 5.87 seconds / Vertical Jump: 31.5 inches / Broad Jump: 114 inches / Short-Shuttle: 5.5 seconds.

5.) Luke Painton, UMASS: 6'7" 321 pounds with 34 3/8 inch arms. Vertical Jump: 31 inches

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