With the 2025 NFL Combine beginning this week, let’s take a look ahead to the NFL draft in April with one big draft-specific question that faces each Indianapolis Colts’ position group on the offensive side of the football.
The Colts will enter the 2025 NFL draft with seven draft picks in total–one in each round. While the tight end, cornerback, and safety positions may be the biggest needs, as GM Chris Ballard looks to infuse competition throughout the roster, there are a lot of positions that one could justify addressing.
Obviously, the draft-specific questions being asked right now could change depending on how free agency plays out for the Colts. But these are the big unknowns given where things currently stand.
Quarterback: Will the draft provide the competition Ballard is looking for?
Ballard mentioned after the season that competition for Anthony Richardson was needed. However, he didn’t specify how the Colts would go about adding that. Will he make another veteran addition in free agency? Or will Ballard use the draft?
The challenge with the draft is that in order to bring in the level of competition that I’m guessing the Colts are looking for, they would have to spend a somewhat early round pick on a quarterback. Once you get into Day 3, there’s no guarantee that a true competition would ensue.
However, considering that there are a number of other needs to fill, is Ballard willing to go down that path? Another wrinkle is, if a top 100 pick is used on the quarterback position, the Colts now have two players at that position on rookie deals, and are operating on two different timelines.
Running back: How early do the Colts add to this position?
This isn’t a pressing need, but the Colts could certainly benefit from adding a running to the mix. For one, an improved presence behind Jonathan Taylor will lessen his workload over the course of a 17 game season.
In addition to that, the Colts could benefit from a pass-catching presence at the position–something they don’t have now–which would add another dimension to the offense.
This also happens to be a loaded draft class. ESPN draft analyst Jordan Reid recently mentioned that he has 33 running backs with draftable grades, and with that comes a variety of skill sets.
Tight end: Which play-style do the Colts’ prefer?
Daniel Jeremiah of NFL network recently mentioned that when he’s evaluating tight ends, he looks at it through the lens of whether that player comes from the Rob Gronkowsi tree or the Travis Kelce tree.
The Gronk tree provides a more do-it-all skill set, which can add a layer of unpredictability to an offense, while the Kelce tree provides more options in the passing game.
Obviously, there are benefits to both. When it comes to the top tight ends in this class, Tyler Warren is more from the Gronk tree and Colston Loveland the Kelce tree. So which skill set would Shane Steichen prefer to have in his offense?
Wide receiver: There’s no need here, right?
While I said there are a lot of positions to add to for the Colts, I don’t know that is necessary at wide receiver.
Returning in 2025 are Josh Downs, Alec Pierce, and Michael Pittman, a trio that each brings something different to the offense and the only trio in football last season to all surpass 800 receiving yards.
In addition to those three, although more consistency is needed from AD Mitchell, the Colts have a supremely talented developmental player as their fourth option, not to mention that they also draft Anthony Gould last year and I think Ashton Dulin is going to return in free agency.
For depth purposes on the 90 man roster, an addition or two can just about always be made, but in terms of spending a draft pick on this group, there are far more pressing needs out there.
Offensive line: How big of a need does this become?
The answer here hinges on whether or not Will Fries returns in free agency. If he does, then the Colts’ starting offensive line unit is likely already on the roster, even if Ryan Kelly is playing elsewhere and the team moves on from Braden Smith.
However, even in this instance, depth will be a need with Kelly, Mark Glowinski, and Danny Pinter all free agents, along with the Colts possibly moving on from Smith.
But on the flip side, if Fries ends up elsewhere, offensive line becomes a major need for the Colts. In this scenario, the only right guard options under contract currently are Atonio Mafi, Josh Sills, and Dalton Tucker.