Three Positions Colts Should Target Late in NFL Draft

The Indianapolis Colts could target these spots on Day 3 of the draft, with a few suggestions provided.

Indianapolis Colts General Manager Chris Ballard speaks with media Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, at the Colts practice facility in Indianapolis. | Mykal McEldowney/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

With their first-round pick gone, the Indianapolis Colts will be hunting in the bargain bin for rookies in the later rounds of the 2026 NFL draft. The Colts are expected to gain two compensatory picks before the draft, which could help general manager Chris Ballard make any draft-day moves for players he likes.

The Colts' biggest needs are in the defensive front seven. Right now, most mock drafts have the Colts addressing linebacker or defensive line with their second and third-round picks.

Later in the draft, the Colts could be focusing on several different areas. Let's take a look at three positions Indy could target on Day 3 of April's draft.

Wide Receiver

Dec 10, 2023; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (11) celebrates his his two point conversion catch with wide receiver Alec Pierce (14) during the second quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images | Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

Although there's not a ton of clarity regarding the futures of Alec Pierce and Michael Pittman Jr., their outlook should be decided by draft time. Pierce is set to hit the open market next month, but the Colts could use their franchise tag to ensure he doesn't leave in free agency.

Pittman, on the other hand, is a possible cap casualty. If the Colts let him go, they'll save $24 million. Pittman had a disappointing end to his 2025 season, but it's hard to imagine the veteran playing anywhere else.

Further down the roster, Josh Downs and Ashton Dulin are both entering the final year of their contracts. The Colts don't have long-term security at the position, so it'd make sense to address it in the later rounds of the draft.

If one of Pittman or Pierce leaves, the Colts will definitely need a new face in the locker room. Some possible names to look for on Day 3 are Georgia State's Ted Hurst (Round 4) and Louisville's Caullin Lacy (Round 7).

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Interior Defensive Line

Indianapolis Colts defensive tackle Grover Stewart (90) and Indianapolis Colts defensive tackle DeForest Buckner (99) walk onto the field Sunday, Aug. 10, 2025, during Indianapolis Colts Training Camp at Grand Park in Westfield. | Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Veteran tackles DeForest Buckner and Grover Stewart anchor the middle, but both are over 31 years old, and beyond them the depth chart lacks proven young contributors. Adetomiwa Adebawore, Indy's fourth-round pick in 2023, had a career-high four sacks in 2025. Adebawore improved, but the Colts need one more guy they can rotate with Buckner and Stewart.

Indy used a sixth-round pick on Tim Smith from Alabama last year, but he played zero snaps and spent the season on the practice squad. Adding a quality interior defensive lineman late in the draft would give defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo flexibility, especially with a new defensive line coach, Marion Hobby, joining the staff to help develop front-seven talent.

The Colts could target Arkansas defensive tackle Cameron Bell on Day 3. Bell spent a month working with Hobby, so the Colts could reap the benefits of an already established connection.

Safety

Dec 22, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indianapolis Colts safety Cam Bynum (0) celebrates an interception against the San Francisco 49ers in the fourth quarter of the game at Lucas Oil Stadium. | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

The Colts just spent $60 million on a safety last offseason, but they may have to do it again to keep Nick Cross, who is set to hit free agency this spring. If Cross leaves, the Colts will have an open starting spot, and they'd likely use a draft pick to find a potential replacement.

Contract situations aside, the Colts saw firsthand how injuries can wreck a secondary. Bynum and Cross were both 17-game starters, but in the NFL, there's no guarantee a player can stay healthy forever.

Drafting an athletic defensive back in the late rounds can be an easy method to pad the depth chart. Even if the player isn't elite at dissecting an offense, their minds can be molded by Anarumo, who specializes in defensive backs.

One name to watch for is Iowa safety Xavier Nwankpa, who was just invited to the NFL combine. Nwankpa is 6-foot-2, 193 pounds, and reportedly runs a 4.39s 40-yard dash.

That sort of size and speed is exactly what creates a high Relative Athletic Score (RAS), something Ballard has frequently used to judge a draft prospect.