The Colts were able to get an absolute steal to begin their 2026 draft haul, and our board would have landed on the same player as we compare the actual class to the would-be selections.

 

Actual selections

2.53: LB CJ Allen

3.78: S A.J. Haulcy

4.113: G Jalen Farmer

4.135: LB Bryce Boettcher

5.156: EDGE George Gumbs Jr.

6.214: EDGE Caden Curry

7.237: RB Seth McGowan

7.254: WR Deion Burks

 

Wolf Sports selections

2.53: LB CJ Allen

3.78: CB Jermod McCoy

4.113: G DJ Campbell

4.135: LB Harold Perkins Jr.

5.156: DL Zane Durant

6.214: TE John Michael Gyllenborg

7.237: WR Deion Burks

7.254: QB Jalon Daniels

 

Thoughts

It sounds like CJ Allen was in play as early as No. 23 overall to the Cowboys, and he really should have gone even earlier than that as an extremely intelligent, all-around linebacker. Indianapolis was the beneficiary for the third year in a row (after Laiatu Latu and Tyler Warren fell to them in Round 1 over the past two drafts) by having Allen still on the board late in the second round—and it could legitimately be the kind of selection that transforms a franchise’s trajectory in what is a make-or-break year for the regime.

 

In the third round, A.J. Haulcy was another very strong value for the Colts (he was our No. 43 overall prospect), and the Indy defense got a whole lot more instinctive with their first two selections last month. Jermod McCoy would have been the choice based on our board, though, and he wouldn’t be pushed to play immediately in a cornerback group with Sauce Gardner, Charvarius Ward, and Cam Taylor-Britt on the perimeter; but McCoy could’ve been the long-term answer across from Gardner starting in 2027 if he were to stay healthy.

 

The fourth round for both the Colts and Wolf Sports would have led to a selection at guard and linebacker. On the offensive line, Indy got Jalen Farmer as a big, powerful option to develop behind Quenton Nelson and Matt Goncalves, while DJ Campbell is a more ready-made player who could step in if needed. At linebacker, Bryce Boettcher seems like a selection where the Colts had a high grade on him to take despite already drafting CJ Allen, and we went with more of a complementary option in Harold Perkins Jr.

 

With their next two selections, Indianapolis took a couple of edge defenders in George Gumbs Jr. and Caden Curry, as they are undoubtedly looking for more impact from the pass rush in 2026. A bunch of additions were made on the interior for the Colts in free agency, but we would have added Zane Durant into the mix to instead get more of a pass-rush presence from the interior; Adetomiwa Adebawore taking a leap and Durant reaching his potential could have created quite the duo inside on passing downs.

 

To close out the draft, the Colts added a running back in Seth McGowan to battle with DJ Giddens for snaps as the No. 2 back, and Deion Burks could prove to be one of the steals of the draft after shockingly going in the late seventh round—so things started and ended for Indy with a player Wolf Sports would have also taken.