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Three Fits for the Colts After South Carolina's Pro Day

Which South Carolina players would fit best in Indianapolis following their Pro Day?
John Davis|
Feb 26, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; South Carolina defensive back Jalon Kilgore (DB39) speaks to members of the media during the NFL Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images
Feb 26, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; South Carolina defensive back Jalon Kilgore (DB39) speaks to members of the media during the NFL Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images | Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images

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Indianapolis Colts

COLUMBIA -- South Carolina football hosted its annual Pro Day on Tuesday, March 17, and NFL teams got an early look at what a few Gamecocks may have to offer at the next level.

The Indianapolis Colts were among the teams with representation in attendance, and there are three players who especially stood out as potential options for the Colts in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Defensive Back Jalon Kilgore

There may not be a better player to come from South Carolina's football program this year than junior defensive back Jalon Kilgore. The 21-year-old Gamecock is coming off the best season of his college career, posting 44 solo tackles, two interceptions, and 9 PBUs.

He has played slot corner back in the majority of his time at South Carolina, though he did earn two starts at strong safety this past season. In the embarkation of his NFL journey, many teams seemingly view Kilgore as a safety rather than a corner, with NFL.com listing him as a safety.

Kilgore earned a 9.97 Relative Athletic Score from RAS.football following the NFL combine, posting elite grades in both the explosion and speed categories due to a 4.40u time in the 40-yard dash and a 10'10" broad jump. At an average frame of 6-foot-1 and a weight of 218 pounds, his athleticism makes up for what he lacks in size.

On the road vs. Missouri this past season, Kilgore started at strong safety for the Gamecocks. He logged 26 snaps in the box that day, helping him rack up six total tackles along with a pressure and defensive stop, per Pro Football Focus.

The Colts said farewell to a three-year starter at safety, Nick Cross, this offseason. He was the team's second-leading tackler last season behind linebacker Zaire Franklin, who also departed from the team this year.

A player like Kilgore would provide an immediate starter at the now-vacant safety position next to Camryn Bynum. Additionally, he could slide into the slot if corner back Kenny Moore were to go down, given that he has missed at least one game in four consecutive seasons.

The Colts' landing Kilgore without a first-round draft selection may very much be a pipe dream, especially considering how obvious Seahawks safety Nick Emmanwori made it this season that letting athletic, Gamecock defensive backs fall in the draft isn't wise. If Kilgore somehow slips to 47th overall, Indianapolis should run to submit the pick.

Defensive Tackle Nick Barrett

While the two Gamecock defensive backs, Kilgore and Brandon Cisse, headline the team's potential draftees, defensive lineman Nick Barrett will likely be the program's third player off the board in April. The 313-pound interior defensive lineman will help clog up run lanes for whichever team he lands with, and he could potentially fill the role of a true nose tackle for the Colts.

No Gamecock defender forced more stops on defense than Barrett in 2025, per PFF, as his 28 led the team. He added nine pressures and six hurries to go along with two sacks on the season. He was one of just eight South Carolina defenders to log over 500 snaps this season, the heaviest player to do so.

Additionally, Barrett notched 31 bench press reps at 225 pounds on Tuesday's Pro Day, a mark that would have been the second-highest among all defensive tackles at the combine in Indianapolis. Coupling that strength with an impressive 31.5-inch vertical and a 7.41-second 3-cone at his size, Barrett's RAS sits at an above-average 8.87u.

The Colts brought in former-Packers defensive tackle Colby Wooden via trade this offseason, as well as adding veterans Derrick Nnadi and Jerry Tillery at the same position. That said, that doesn't mean the room is stable enough to enter the season.

Wooden joins Adetomiwa Adeboware and Tim Smith as the only three defensive tackles on the roster who will be under 30 years old by the time the 2026 season begins. The team needs to not only get younger, but have proven talent in that youth movement in order to comfortably move on from the remainder of the aging core.

Barrett isn't an entirely polished product yet, but his production against elite competition (like his four-stop game against No. 4 Alabama last season) gives reason to believe an adjustment period in the NFL won't take long.

EDGE Bryan Thomas Jr

No, the Jaguars' receiver didn't change positions. An under-the-radar prospect given his size, South Carolina edge rusher Bryan Thomas Jr. led the Gamecocks in sacks last season with seven, out-earning that of teammate and 2027 top-prospect pass rusher Dylan Stewart (4.5).

While the Gamecocks' season ended with a record of 4-8, the team's defense wasn't to blame. The unit was on the field for what felt like the entire game, as South Carolina's average time of possession per game of 28:14 ranked 118th out of 136 teams.

Thomas helped make as much of an impact on the outcome of games as a defense can, forcing three fumbles last season. He added 40 total tackles on the year and racked up 23 total defensive stops on the season as well, per PFF.

The areas for concern in Thomas' game (and likely the reason he will slip in the draft) come with his size, as he stands just under 6-foot-2 and weighed in at 240 pounds at the team's pro day.

However, he posted impressive marks in the broad jump at 9-foot-8 and in the 3-cone at 7.15. Both of those marks grade above an 8/10, according to RAS.football.

Despite his frame, Thomas' strengths in technique and quickness could make him worth a late pick on day 3 of the draft. This could be especially true for a team like the Colts, who are incredibly thin at pass rusher. I view him as a potential sixth, maybe seventh-round draft choice who could be worth a gamble given his production in the SEC.

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John Davis
JOHN DAVIS

John Davis covers the NFL and the Indianapolis Colts. He's currently pursuing a degree in Sports Media at the University of South Carolina. John also founded and operates Colts Report on Instagram, a big Colts Fan Page.

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