Why the Colts Will Likely Have Extra Draft Picks in 2026

The Indianapolis Colts are poised for a couple of extra picks in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Indianapolis Colts General Manager Chris Ballard speaks to the press in a pre-draft press conference Monday, April 21, 2025 at the Colts headquarters, the Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center. | Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

When it comes to Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard's philosophy on the NFL Draft, the more shots at the board, the better. Normally, Ballard trades back in the draft to acquire extra selections, but he won't have to go that far before adding a couple of extra picks in next year's draft.

According to OverTheCap.com, the Colts are projected to earn two compensatory selections in the 2026 NFL Draft, both in the seventh round, which would bring their total to nine picks in the draft, including three in the seventh round.

Teams earn compensatory picks based on the loss of qualifying unrestricted free agent players prior to the year's draft. The NFL rewards these picks each March.

What happens next for the Colts? Don't miss out on any news and analysis! Take a second and sign up for our free newsletter and get breaking Colts news delivered to your inbox daily!

The Colts lost qualifying players, right guard Will Fries, defensive lineman Dayo Odeyingbo, and center Ryan Kelly. The Colts' additions of cornerback Charvarius Ward, safety Camryn Bynum, and quarterback Daniel Jones cancelled out the team's three aforementioned losses. However, when former Colts quarterback Joe Flacco and linebacker E.J. Speed also left for new teams without the Colts making any other qualifying signings, it meant the Colts had lost more value before the draft than they'd added.

As things currently stand, the Colts will have one pick in each of the first six rounds of the 2026 draft, plus three in the seventh.

Recent seventh-round standout picks by the Colts include cornerback Jaylon Jones (2023), safety Rodney Thomas II (2022), Fries (2021), and Zaire Franklin (2018).