One Sleeper Who Should Make the Colts Roster After OTAs

With the Indianapolis Colts wrapping up OTAs on Thursday and mandatory minicamp on the horizon (June 9-11), we're taking this opportunity to quickly revisit the team's situation at defensive end.

The Colts addressed one of their biggest needs in the 2026 NFL Draft by doubling up at defensive end, but neither draft selection came until Day 3 (rounds 4-7) of the draft.

The Colts wound up drafting Florida's George Gumbs Jr. in the fifth round (156 overall) and Ohio State's Caden Curry in the sixth round (214th overall) of the draft.

Gumbs Jr. had 7.5 sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss in his two seasons at Florida, whereas Curry logged 11 sacks and 16.5 tackles for loss in his lone season as a starter at Ohio State.

Although this recent period of voluntary workouts did not move the needle much when it comes to the overall depth chart order, it was still a valuable first step in roster integration, as it was the first time the rookie class and its veteran counterparts shared the practice field, and the rookie defensive duo has appeared to belong thus far.

While both have deficiencies in their game and/or physical profile that ultimately prevented teams from considering drafting them until the later rounds, both Gumbs Jr. and Curry were highly productive during their time spent in the NCAA's top football conferences (SEC/Big Ten).

Gumbs Jr. is viewed as the raw counterpart of the two, a project whose quick rise from MAC wide receiver to SEC pass rusher was enough for Colts general manager Chris Ballard and Co. to bet on, in the fifth round no less.

Curry, on the other hand, fell mainly because of his historically short arm length. His 30 1/8" arms are in the 0% percentile of all draft prospects per Mockdraftables, and edge rushers with short arms are almost disregarded by NFL scouts, but the Colts are confident Curry can succeed despite this.

“I mean, sometimes the physical measurements, people will knock you down, but we’ll see how he does. I think he'll do well. I do," general manager Chris Ballard said about Curry after drafting him in the sixth round.

NFL Draft On SI's Justin Melo recently dropped a shortlist of his top sixth-round sleepers who are hiding in plain sight, and Caden Curry was one of the few featured.

"Caden Curry is a no-nonsense defensive lineman who took complete advantage of his opportunity to start for Ohio State in 2025. Despite all the talent throughout the Buckeyes' roster, it was Curry that led the Buckeyes defense with 16.5 tackles for loss. He also tied for ninth in the FBS with 11 sacks and totaled 66 tackles," Melo wrote.

"Curry possesses NFL-ready size, but arm length deficiencies contributed to him being a sixth-round pick. The athletic traits are also average at best. Curry plays with a red-hot motor and his football IQ helped lead to eye-popping production."

Road To The Roster

Ohio State Buckeyes defensive end Caden Curry speaks during the Cotton Bowl Media Day at AT&T Stadium in Dallas prior to the College Football Playoff matchup against the Miami Hurricanes on Dec. 29, 2025. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Indianapolis Colts have their top four defensive ends all but decided for once the regular season comes, but their depth remains undetermined, at least as far as pecking order in the rotation goes.

Jaylahn Tuimoloau, Arden Key, and Michael Clemons are set to fill out that four-man group, with Tuimoloau and Key fighting for the starting job, but the Colts could use another defensive end to add to the mix on gamedays.

Defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo's pass rush requires versatility across the defensive line, so there is almost always a rotation in place, regardless of who is the starter.

“Yeah, I think there's always going to be rotation with the guys up front anyway. I think that's the nature of the beast these days, and has been with the d-line," Anarumo explained. "Very few guys are playing 80-90 percent of the snaps. So, there's going to be a healthy rotation."

Laiatu Latu has earned an every-down role at defensive end as he enters year three, but the rotation outside of him remains to be seen. Thankfully for Caden Curry, his playstyle is a near-perfect fit for Anarumo's scheme.

Curry's ability to line up anywhere across the defensive line, drop back in coverage, and, of course, rush the passer is a perfect blend of traits and abilities to carve out a role as a rookie.

On top of his day-one readiness as a rotational rusher and depth piece on defense, Curry's special teams upside should be enough to warrant dressing on gamedays. He blocked a kick in each of his last two seasons at Ohio State, proving that there's value to be had on special teams.

The Colts need all the help they can get at defensive end for 2026, and Curry seems like the likeliest of the bunch to sneak his way onto the initial regular-season active roster.

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