INDIANAPOLIS — Months of evaluation, speculation and anticipation all come down to this.
Thursday through Saturday, NFL teams will turn in their draft picks — or “gold nuggets” as Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay calls them — for players they believe can elevate their franchise to new heights.
Indianapolis’ needs include quarterback (✓), cornerback (✓), wide receiver (✓) and offensive line (✓).
Follow our live blog for instant updates and analysis of the Colts’ draft developments.
LIVE BLOG
April 29, 6:07 p.m.
ROUND 7 (236th OVERALL): With their final pick, the Colts chose offensive tackle Jake Witt out of Northern Michigan. Witt — a former tight end — wasn’t invited to the Combine but impressed at his pro day with a 4.89-second 40-yard dash and 37″ vertical jump at 6’7″, 302 lbs.
“Witt is the all-time developmental project,” said ESPN analyst Todd McShay after the pick.
April 29, 5:30 p.m.
ROUND 7 (221st OVERALL): Indianapolis selected their third cornerback of the draft with Jaylon Jones out of Texas A&M. Jones fits the style of cornerback the Colts have been targeting at 6’2″, 200 lbs. He ran a 4.57-second 40-yard dash, jumped a 38″ vertical and ran a 6.88-second three-cone drill at the Combine. Over his three years as a starter, Jones racked up 98 tackles, 3 interceptions and 12 passes defended.
April 29, 5:10 p.m.
ROUND 6 (211th OVERALL): The Colts drafted linebacker Titus Leo out of Wagner as day three of the draft winds down. The 6’4″, 245-pound Leo made 52 total tackles and 1.5 sack in his final season with the Seahawks. He ran a 4.69-second 40-yard dash at his pro day. It is unclear if the Colts plan to use Leo as a defensive end or a stand-up linebacker, but he is a moldable piece for Indianapolis to develop on defense.
April 29, 3:34 p.m.
ROUND 5 (176th OVERALL): The Colts used their fourth pick in the fifth round on Northwestern running back Evan Hull. He tested well at the Combine with a 4.47-second 40-yard dash, 37″ vertical jump and 6.9-second three-cone drill at 5’10”, 209 lbs. Hull pulled in 55 catches (most among RBs in college football) for 546 yards and 2 touchdowns last season while also rushing for over 900 yards. He topped 1,000 yards rushing in 2021 on his way to honorable mention All-Big Ten Conference recognition. Indianapolis needs a third-down back after shipping off Nyheim Hines last season, and Hull fits the bill as a pass catcher.
April 29, 2:55 p.m.
ROUND 5 (162ND OVERALL): With their third selection in the fifth round, the Colts draft tight end Will Mallory out of Miami. Mallory has a nice combination of athleticism (4.54-second 40-yard dash and 36.5″ vertical jump) and production, as he led ACC tight ends with 42 receptions for 538 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns in 2022. At over 6’4″, 239 lbs, Mallory projects as a move tight end who will need to beef up to consistently block NFL-size defenders. The 23-year-old will compete for a spot in a crowded tight end room that already includes Jelani Woods, Mo Alie-Cox, Kylen Granson, Andrew Ogletree and Pharaoh Brown.
April 29, 2:44 p.m.
ROUND 5 (158TH OVERALL): The Colts grab an athletic safety in California’s Daniel Scott. At the Combine, the 24-year-old recorded a 4.45-second 40-yard dash, 39.5″ vertical jump and 6.75-second three-cone drill at 6’1″, 208 lbs. Scott started 24 games for the Golden Bears and totaled 167 tackles and 6 interceptions over the past two seasons. He’ll be a special teams asset from the jump and adds depth to a safety group that features Julian Blackmon, Rodney Thomas and Nick Cross.
April 29, 1:57 p.m.
TRADE: In their third trade of the draft, Indianapolis sent pick 141 to Minnesota in exchange for picks 158 and 211.
April 29, 1:49 p.m.
ROUND 5 (138TH OVERALL): The Colts add more talent in the secondary with South Carolina cornerback Darius Rush. Rush has elite size (6’2″, 198 lbs, 33 3/8″ arms) and speed (4.36-second 40-yard dash) for the position and fits the profile of an outside corner in defensive coordinator Gus Bradley’s scheme. The converted wide receiver will join second round pick Julius Brents in helping to replace 2022 starting cornerbacks Stephon Gilmore and Brandon Facyson.
April 29, 12:31 p.m.
ROUND 4 (110TH OVERALL): Indianapolis continued its trend of drafting athletic freaks with the selection of defensive lineman Adetomiwa Adebawore (pronounced add-E-TOMMY-wah add-E-BAR-eh) out of Northwestern. He tore up the Combine with a 4.49-second 40-yard dash and 37.5″ vertical jump at 6’2″, 282 lbs. Adebawore racked up 17.5 tackles for a loss, 9.5 sacks and 4 forced fumbles over his last two seasons, earning honorable mention All-Big Ten Conference accolades both in 2021 and 2022. The 22-year-old has inside-outside flexibility but perhaps is best suited as a three-technique defensive tackle.
April 29, 12:18 p.m.
ROUND 4 (106TH OVERALL): The Colts kick off day three by selecting offensive tackle Blake Freeland out of Brigham Young University. Freeland started 41 games for the Cougars, playing right tackle during his first two seasons before moving to left tackle for his final two. In addition to experience, Freeland brings high-end athleticism which he showed at the Combine where he recorded a 4.98-second 40-yard dash and 37″ vertical jump at 6’8″, 302 lbs. Freeland adds depth to a Colts offensive line that gave up the second most sacks in the NFL last season (60).
April 28, 10:00 p.m.
ROUND 3 (79TH OVERALL): The Colts add a weapon in North Carolina wide receiver Josh Downs. At 5’9″, 171 lbs, Downs is suited to spend most of his time in the slot, where he can use his quickness and route running ability to create separation and gain yards after the catch. The 21-year-old put up numbers both at the Combine (4.48-second 40-yard dash, 38.5″ vertical jump, 10’11” broad jump) and in the stat sheet with 195 catches, 2,364 yards and 19 touchdowns over the last two seasons. Downs’ high-end production earned him second-team AP All-American honors in 2022.
- Click here for Downs highlights.
April 28, 8:05 p.m.
ROUND 2 (44TH OVERALL): The Colts selected cornerback Julius Brents out of Kansas State. Brents, who went to high school at Warren Central in Indianapolis, possesses tremendous size for the position (6’3″, 198 lbs, 34″ arms), something defensive coordinator Gus Bradley covets. Brents used his length and athleticism (4.53-second 40-yard dash, 41.5″ vertical jump, 11’6″ broad jump, 6.63-second 3-cone drill) to pull down 4 interceptions and earn first-team all-Big 12 in 2022, his second season as a starter.
The 23-year-old addresses a massive need for the Colts after the team moved on from starting corners Stephon Gilmore and Brandon Facyson this offseason.
- Click here to reach Mike Chappell’s feature story on Brents.
- Click here for Brents highlights.
April 28, 7:38 p.m.
TRADE: The Colts pulled off their second trade of the night in a deal with the Atlanta Falcons. Indianapolis receives picks 44 and 110 in exchange for pick 38.
April 28, 7:28 p.m.
TRADE: The Colts traded pick 35 to the Las Vegas Raiders for picks 38 and 141.
April 27, 8:40 p.m.
ROUND 1 (4TH OVERALL): The Colts selected hyper-athletic quarterback Anthony Richardson with their first pick. The 20-year-old had his ups and downs during his lone year as a starter at Florida but progressed as the season went on. His stock rose during the pre-draft process as Richardson put together one of the best Combine performances ever by a quarterback: 4.43-second 40-yard dash and 40.5″ vertical jump at 6’4″, 244 lbs. Richardson’s tremendous upside was enough for Indianapolis to choose him over Kentucky quarterback Will Levis.
- Click here for Mike Chappell’s feature story on Richardson.
- Click here for Richardson highlights.
