In the fourth round of the 2025 NFL draft, the Indianapolis Colts selected Iowa State offensive tackle Jalen Travis.
Let’s break down the pick, and if you missed our other recaps, you can find them below.
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Jalen Travis profile
Travis spent his first three seasons at Princeton before transferring to Iowa State in 2024, where he was the starting left tackle. Throughout his career, Travis has played almost 2,000 offensive snaps, and for what it’s worth, he’s steadily graded out better in pass protection than as a run-blocker.
During this most recent season, Travis was excellent in pass pro, allowing just 11 pressures on the year and ranking 15th among all tackles in PFF’s pass-blocking efficiency metric.
His presence gives the Colts added flexibility to move Matt Goncalves to right guard. Before draft Travis, had the Colts wanted to transition Goncalves inside, that would have left them with Blake Freeland as their primary swing tackle option off the bench, and he has struggled early on in his career. Travis now bolsters the depth behind Braden Smith and Bernhard Raimann at a key position.
Jalen Travis’ scouting report
NFL.com
Lance Zierlein: “Tall, three-year starting tackle with proportional mass and length. Like most taller tackles, Travis has some athletic limitations in tight quarters and anchor concerns if he doesn’t drop his pad level. Average foot quickness is covered up a bit by an effective use of length. He has some pop on down blocks but will struggle as a man blocker due to his lack of leverage and sloppy hand placement. He’s tough on rushers when he punches with timing but is slightly below average with his mirror consistency and twist pickup. Travis has potential but the ceiling will be limited for him as he competes for a role as a swing tackle.”
They said it
Tyler Hughes, area scout: “He transferred in from Princeton and then finished up at Iowa State,” Hughes said via the Indy Star. “He got better every single week. I think that just kind of showed his progression, being coached by a good offensive line coach. He didn’t really have much of an offseason going in, so he was playing the best ball towards the end of his career. He’s still young, as far as the developmental curve. … His size speaks for itself. He’s a gigantic person.
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“He is a little bit developmental but knowing him and the type of worker he is, if he gets thrown into a game, he’s not going to bat an eye, and he’s going to be fine. He’s big enough, he’s long enough, he’s athletic enough. He’ll find a way to figure it out. … He’s got range on the edge, he’s able to redirect, his change of direction is good. The overall athlete is pretty good for how big of a man he is.”
Jalen Travis’ athletic profile
This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: 2025 NFL draft: Breaking down Colts’ fourth round pick OT Jalen Travis