3 Colts Heralded As Best Among Their Positions

While free agency and the NFL draft have been the top conversations in recent months, it's worth taking a moment to acknowledge some of the best talents across the NFL.

As for the Indianapolis Colts, three players were prominently represented on Bucky Brooks' rankings of positional value for 25 spots for Fox Sports, using a trio of names at every position.

For Indianapolis, here are the three players from the Circle City who are represented.

Wide Receiver 3 (Slot) | Josh Downs

Colts wide receiver Josh Downs (blue and white uniform) tries to make a man miss in the open field. — Dec 22, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs (2) looks to move past San Francisco 49ers cornerback Darrell Luter Jr. (28) during the first quarter at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Grace Hollars-USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images | Grace Hollars-USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

Colts slot specialist Josh Downs has been the go-to man since 2023 when it comes to quick completions in key moments. However, he's also shown more ability than just winning close.

Through three years, Downs has hauled in 198 catches for 2,140 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns. While 2025 saw Downs have his lowest season, he also played alongside Daniel Jones, Philip Rivers, and Riley Leonard across 16 games.

The reason this is worth mentioning is that all three of the aforementioned QBs have completely different skill sets and levels of experience, making it more difficult for any pass-catcher to build consistency and rapport.

Downs is only improving and will be relied upon to help move the chains consistently for Indy's next franchise quarterback, Jones.

Nickel Cornerback | Kenny Moore II

Colts cornerback Kenny Moore II (blue and white uniform) shoves a wide receiver out of bounds. — Dec 28, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indianapolis Colts cornerback Kenny Moore II (23) shoves Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Parker Washington (11) out of bounds at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mykal McEldowney-USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images | Mykal McEldowney-USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

Kenny Moore II has been in a Colts uniform for all nine of his NFL seasons, and has consistently been one of the best nickel cornerbacks year in, year out.

2025 was no different, and while Moore did miss three games, he was still elite in most metrics when discussing the slot cornerback position. He finished with 55 tackles, three tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, six pass breakups, and an interception return for a touchdown.

Moore will be 31 by the time the NFL season starts, but he's shown zero signs of drop off or regression up to this point.

After posting great Pro Football grades of 66.7 overall and 84.4 in run defense, he'll continue to be one of the key members of Lou Anarumo's defense alongside fellow cornerbacks Sauce Gardner and Charvarius Ward.

Left Guard | Quenton Nelson

No surprise here that the future Hall of Famer, Quenton Nelson, is considered one of the top left guards in the NFL.

Nelson needs no introduction and has achieved eight Pro Bowls in as many seasons in Indianapolis. He's also notched three First-Team and Second-Team All-Pro nominations in that timeframe, further establishing that he's constantly elite.

In 2025, Nelson continued his dominance as an anchor of Indy's O-Line, notching incredible Pro Football Focus grades of 84.5 overall, 84.3 run-blocking, and 73.2 pass-blocking.

All three of those metrics are at least 12th or better among 81 eligible guards. He also allowed a single sack on 637 pass-blocking snaps during the 2025 campaign, indicating he's hardly ever out of place or making mistakes from the interior.

Nelson is the X-Factor of the Colts' protection, and can be the top guard in the league on any given gameday. Nothing indicates that he'll stop destroying defenders and putting up top-level efficiency in year nine.

Sign Up For the Colts Daily Digest - OnSI’s Indianapolis Colts Newsletter