Colts Rookie Report: Who is Rising (And Falling) on the Depth Chart?

The Indianapolis Colts just wrapped up their longest stretch of practices to kick off their training camp, a four-day pad-less affair that gave us a sneak peek at what's to come.

From rehab and depth chart monitoring to the important acclimation of newcomers, it's been about as eventful as the beginning stages of training camp can be.

When it comes to the latter, the Colts are counting on a good portion of their 2026 draft class to contribute as rookies, and we got a solid first step in determining just how much they'll offer for the upcoming season.

With that being said, I'm taking today's off day to cover each of the rookie's performance thus far, giving a brief summary that includes my pulse on their projected impact.

Without further ado, let's break down each rookie's training camp through four days in draft order.

CJ Allen

Allen didn't make his training camp debut until the team's third practice after being sidelined with a calf injury he tweaked prior to the official start to preseason.

Since returning, Allen has unsurprisingly been slotted in as the defense's starting MIKE linebacker, a role he's been destined for since the Colts drafted him with their first pick (53rd overall) in this year's draft.

He's yet to make any splash plays, but he's already looked like a younger, faster Zaire Franklin that the Colts hoped to be getting, taking control of the defense in seamless fashion with thorough communication and intriguing instincts.

A.J. Haulcy

Haulcy has been eyeing the Colts' starting strong safety opening since he was drafted with the 79th overall pick earlier this spring, but it's been second-year safety Hunter Wohler taking the majority of the starting reps through the first week.

The rookie got his first bit of first-team in the Colts' third practice, but was still rotated with Wohler throughout the remainder of practice.

Haulcy was the primary starting strong safety on Saturday as Hunter Wohler sat out for an undisclosed reason -- was seen stretching out early on and didn't return -- so while we monitor Wohler's situation, it looks like the rookie will be getting an opportunity to prove his year-one worth.

Jalen Farmer

It's nearly impossible to gauge just how impressive aspiring trench players are before the pads come on, and Jalen Farmer's case in no exception.

While overall stature and fundamentals are worth monitoring during this period, it's the specific rotations and/or first-team reps that are noteworthy during this aforementioned stretch of jersey-only practices.

Farmer will have every opportunity to prove his worth come early next week, but as of now, it looks like right guard Matt Goncalves and right tackle Jalen Travis have their spots locked down.

Bryce Boettcher

With rookie CJ Allen and veteran Akeem Davis-Gaither both sitting out two of the four days of practice thus far, it's been the Colts' fourth-round linebacker getting the most first-team reps of training camp out of anyone at his position.

The Colts have high hopes for Boettcher in year one, particularly as a special teams contributor and sub-package coverage defender, yet it still seems as though defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo is aiming to move forward with Allen and Davis-Gaither as his starting linebacker tandem.

Caden Curry & George Gumbs Jr.

I'm grouping the Colts' mid-Day 3 (rounds 4-7) draft selections together based on the fact neither has gotten any reps above the third-team units. Like offensive linemen, defensive linemen have a tougher time than most without pads when it comes to impact. However, when it comes to edge rusher, this position does have a bit more opportunity to shine in 11-on-11 play.

But again, the pads coming on, coupled with a bigger offensive workload that sees more longer-developing plays, should give this rookie pair their shot to prove they deserve roster spots, and potentially a spot in the pass-rushing rotation.

Seth McGowan

McGowan and second-year running back DJ Giddens have both showcased shifty footwork early on in training camp, with the former doing more damage between the tackles, and the latter proving to be a wide-zone threat.

However, both have had brutal drops in the passing game, so we'll need one to separate as a reliable pass-catching option, while also proving they can hang in pass protection once the pads come on if the Colts want to roll into 2026 with one of their young backs as the primary backup under star running back Jonathan Taylor.

Deion Burks

The Colts have trotted out their less-than-ideal Alec Pierce-less wide receiver core, which means seventh-round rookie Deion Burks has, in theory, had more opportunity to prove himself as the late-round steal that many have deemed him to be.

Burks has not performed poorly by any means, but he hasn't really stood out either. He has taken some third-team return reps, which is a plus for his overall roster spot candidacy, and had a couple of strong receptions with the reserve teams on Saturday, but his overall quiet camp has been unfortunate given that he was projected to climb the depth chart and become earn team's final wide receiver spot.

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