3-Round Colts Mock Draft: Indy Gets Serious About Defense

The Indianapolis Colts need more help on defense, and this mock draft addresses three big positions.

Dec 27, 2025; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Missouri Tigers defensive end Zion Young (9) looks on before a play against the Virginia Cavaliers in the first half at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Travis Register-Imagn Images | Travis Register-Imagn Images

The NFL Combine kicks off this week, and while the showcase from Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis commands attention, this event is a critical tee-up for the NFL Draft in late April.

While the Indianapolis Colts don't have a first-round selection this year, they can still do plenty of damage in rounds two, three, and four to address key areas of the roster.

Without further ado, it's time to execute a mock draft featuring the Colts' first three draft picks using the renowned Pro Football Focus simulator.

Let's begin with the biggest roster need for Indy in 2026: defensive end.

Round 2, Pick No. 47 | Zion Young - Defensive End (Missouri)

Nov 15, 2025; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs quarterback Kamario Taylor (1) runs the ball as Missouri Tigers defensive end Zion Young (9) attempts the sack during the second half of the game at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Missouri's Zion Young is just what Indianapolis needs off the edge and will undoubtedly get plenty of starter reps alongside Laiatu Latu.

Young's sack numbers will fool the untrained eye. In 2025, he stacked 6.5, which isn't anything wild. However, looking deeper into his performance reveals a player who does everything well and has star potential.

Young accumulated an impressive 16.5 tackles for loss, forced two fumbles, 17 quarterback hits, and put immense pressure on opposing quarterbacks, leading the Tigers with 57.

His run defense was top-notch and was a legitimate issue for offensive tackles. Young is as good a lock to succeed as any defensive end the Colts can realistically take.

Latu may have the talent to quell the notion that Chris Ballard can't draft an edge rusher, but he needs help to blossom.

While the jury is out on JT Tuimoloau, adding Young gives the Colts a shot at having a potential trifecta of effectiveness off the edge while giving the position room a fresh look.

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Round 3, Pick No. 78 | Jacob Rodriguez - Linebacker (Texas Tech)

Texas Tech's Jacob Rodriguez asks for more crowd noise during the Big 12 Championship football game, Saturday, Nov. 6, 2025, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. | Nathan Giese/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

I've believed that Texas Tech's Jacob Rodriguez is the best linebacker fit for Indianapolis, and in this mock draft, it became a reality.

Indy doesn't just need depth at linebacker around Zaire Franklin; they require a more sophisticated defender who can do more than just excel in coverage. Luckily, Rodriguez fits the bill.

Rodriguez played five years in FBS, one year for the Virginia Commodores (2021) and four with the Texas Tech Red Raiders (2022-2025), but his final two seasons should be the focus.

Below are Rodriguez's fantastic final two years, broken down by individual seasons.

• 2024: 127 tackles, 77 solo (led FBS), 10.5 tackles for loss, 5.0 sacks, four pass breakups, three fumbles forced, one fumble return for a touchdown, one interception.
• 2025: 128 tackles, 63 solo (led FBS), 11.0 tackles for loss, 1.0 sacks, six pass breakups, seven fumbles forced (led FBS), one fumble return for a touchdown, four interceptions.

Rodriguez has his areas to improve, but the ceiling of this linebacker is through the roof. Putting him into a scheme like Lou Anarumo's will also give him plenty of opportunities to showcase his skills.

Franklin is still the undisputed leader of the linebackers, but outside of him, there's little confidence in the position. While Germaine Pratt could get re-signed, that still doesn't change the need for more talent.

Rodriguez may be my favorite overall draft fit for Indianapolis' defense, so it was quite an easy decision to take the multi-faceted Texas Tech product.

Round 4, Pick No. 113 | Bud Clark - Safety (Texas Christian)

Sep 23, 2023; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; TCU Horned Frogs safety Bud Clark (21) celebrates after he intercepts an SMU Mustangs pass during the second half at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Colts must focus their attention on re-signing quarterback Daniel Jones and wide receiver Alec Pierce, which makes things questionable for Nick Cross' future.

Even if the Colts re-sign Cross to continue pairing him with Cam Bynum, the defense still needs more at the safety spot. This is where Texas Christian's Bud Clark comes into the conversation.

Clark had minimal usage with the Horned Frogs in 2020 and 2021. However, once the 2022 season came along, Clark never looked back and became a feature piece of the defense.

In his final four years with the Horned Frogs, Clark played 47 games and put up 201 tackles (130 solo), 21 pass breakups, 15 interceptions, and two interceptions returned for touchdowns.

Behind Cross and Bynum, the Colts have names like Rodney Thomas II, George Odum, Hunter Wohler, and Daniel Scott.

Thomas and Odum are unrestricted free agents, and Scott has struggled mightily with injuries, limiting him to a meager four games played over three NFL seasons. As for Wohler, he sustained a Lisfranc injury that derailed his rookie season.

Defensive tackle needs more firepower around DeForest Buckner and Grover Stewart, but it's somewhat solidified with Adetomiwa Adebawore and Neville Gallimore, if he's retained.

This encouraged me to lean into Clark, a safety that has a massive amount of experience playing at a high level with a propensity to handle nearly any defensive assignment.