Colts Land Pair of SEC Playmakers in Final Round of NFL Draft

The Indianapolis Colts bolstered their offense in the seventh round of the 2026 NFL draft.

Oklahoma's Deion Burks (4) celebrates a reception next to Alabama's Justin Jefferson (10) in the first half of the College Football Playoff game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Alabama Crimson Tide at the Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Friday, Dec. 19, 2025. | SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Indianapolis Colts shifted their focus to the offense in the seventh round of the draft, selecting running back Seth McGowan out of Kentucky with the 237th overall pick and wide receiver Deion Burks out of Oklahoma with the 254th overall pick.

Those two selections officially concluded the Colts' draft. Indy prioritized defense throughout the draft, with a focus on rebuilding the front seven.

By waiting until the seventh round to address the running back and wide receiver positions, the front office showed it believes its current offensive weapons can carry the load.

With that in mind, let's take a closer look at Indy's final picks.

Seth McGowan | Running Back (237th Overall)

Nov 1, 2025; Auburn, Alabama, USA; Kentucky Wildcats running back Seth McGowan (3) carries against the Auburn Tigers during the third quarter at Jordan-Hare Stadium. | John Reed-Imagn Images

McGowan started his college career in 2020, but he saw three seasons of action after being charged with felony larceny at an Oklahoma apartment.

After taking some time off, McGowan returned for his final two seasons with New Mexico State and Kentucky.

In the 2025 season for the Wildcats, McGowan rushed for 725 yards and 12 touchdowns on 165 carries, which averages out to 4.4 yards per carry. He tacked on 19 receptions for 126 yards in the passing game.

At 6-feet tall and 223 pounds, McGowan presents himself as a short-yardage option for the Colts. Of course, Jonathan Taylor will shoulder the majority of the workload, but it's only a matter of time until the tread on Taylor's tires runs thin.

As it stands, McGowan slots in as the Colts' RB3 behind DJ Giddens, who the Colts selected in the fifth round last year.

Deion Burks | Wide Receiver (254th Overall)

Dec 19, 2025; Norman, OK, USA; Oklahoma Sooners wide receiver Deion Burks (4) against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the CFP National Playoff First Round at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

After trading Michael Pittman Jr. and Adonai Mitchell in the span of five months, the Colts were always going to use at least one pick on a new receiver for Reggie Wayne.

Some thought that Indy would use one of their Day 2 picks on a pass catcher, but they opted to wait until the very end.

Deion Burks spent three years at Purdue before transferring to Oklahoma for his final two seasons of collegiate football.

In his final season, the 5-foot-9 Burks posted 620 receiving yards and four touchdowns on 57 receptions. Burks ran a blazing 4.30s 40-yard dash at the combine in February, so he brings a new speed element to the Colts' offense.

On top of his lightning-fast speed, Burks had an impressive 42-inch vertical leap and 10-foot-11-inch broad jump.

Burks was a kickoff returner for Purdue in 2022, but that's the extent of his special teams experience. Indy could try to use him in the return game, but they already have some agile options in Ashton Dulin, Anthony Gould, and Josh Downs.

Colts' Final Draft Haul

• Round 2, Pick 53: CJ Allen, Linebacker, Georgia
• Round 3, Pick 78: A.J. Haulcy, Safety, LSU
• Round 4, Pick 113: Jalen Farmer, Guard, Kentucky
• Round 4, Pick 135: Bryce Boettcher, Linebacker, Oregon
• Round 5, Pick 156: George Gumbs Jr., Defensive End, Florida
• Round 6, Pick 214: Caden Curry, Defensive End, Ohio State
• Round 7, Pick 237: Seth McGowan, Running Back, Kentucky
• Round 7, Pick 254: Deion Burks, Wide Receiver, Oklahoma

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