Colts Meeting Explosive Edge Rusher Ahead of NFL Draft

The Indianapolis Colts have been missing a true difference maker off the edge for a long time now. Ever since Robert Mathis retired, the Colts have been cycling through rotational players as they try to replicate the production Mathis gave Indy in his prime.

This year's NFL draft is stacked with edge rushing talent, and if pre-draft visits mean anything, the Colts seem interested in adding a budding defensive end to their locker room.

According to NFL Network insider Mike Garafolo, the Colts will meet with UCF edge rusher Malachi Lawrence later this week. Lawrence will also meet with the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers this week as he prepares to visit 16 teams ahead of this month's draft.

UCF edge Malachi Lawrence, a @MoveTheSticks Top 50 prospect who ran a 4.52 40 at the Combine, is visiting the #Colts, #Seahawks and #49ers this week — three of 16 visits for him ahead of the NFL Draft. Significant work on Lawrence from clubs following his performance in Indy. pic.twitter.com/3gDANgILdu
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) April 9, 2026

Lawrence has emerged as one of the most intriguing defensive prospects in this class, largely thanks to a dominant pre-draft cycle. At February's NFL combine, the 6-foot-4, 253-pound edge rusher delivered elite athletic testing numbers, including a 4.52s 40-yard dash and a 40-inch vertical jump. He earned a 9.95 Relative Athletic Score (RAS), ranking as the 13th highest among all defensive ends since 1987.

The Louisville, Kentucky, native was a three-year impact player at UCF. Across his final three seasons, Lawrence recorded 19.5 total sacks, 72 total tackles, 27.5 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles, and four passes defended. Lawrence earned first-team All-Big 12 honors thanks to his seven-sack senior season.

How Lawrence Would Fit in Indy

The Colts' top edge rusher is currently Laiatu Latu, who will be entering the third year of his rookie contract in 2026. Latu showed improvement in Year 2, but he still struggled to make a weekly impact. He finished the season with 8.5 sacks and three interceptions, becoming one of the very few players to record that many sacks with at least three picks.

Behind Latu are Arden Key and Micheal Clemons, who have primarily been rotational pieces. Indy also has Jaylahn Tuimoloau waiting in the shadows, though he showed nothing in his rookie season to make me think he could suddenly explode onto the scene in 2026.

Lawrence would help address the Colts' pass rush issues immediately. He'll likely be off the board by Round 3, so if the Colts do take him, they would have to use their most valuable draft capital. Lawrence has elite burst and speed, and he has a decent bag of tricks to dig into when trying to maneuver around larger tackles.

Malachi Lawrence is my pick for deepest pass rush bag in the 2026 NFL Draft pic.twitter.com/KRai5xqRNj
— NFL Draft Files (@NFL_DF) February 25, 2026

One area in which Lawrence could improve is his run defense. According to Pro Football Focus, Lawrence had a 66.2 run-defense grade, which ranked 512th among all defensive ends in college football. His 89.5 pass-rush grade ranked 33rd for comparison.

The Colts aren't necessarily in a spot where they can take a chance on a developmental player, especially with this being a make-or-break year for general manager Chris Ballard. The Colts need instant impact players with their top draft capital to round out the roster, and Lawrence might not be at that level just yet.

Ultimately, this pre-draft visit highlights the Colts’ priorities. Improving the pass rush remains one of the most pressing needs, and Lawrence represents a high-upside solution who could inject much-needed speed and explosiveness into the defense.

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