It’s never too early to take a look ahead to the 2026 NFL draft. So, who did the Indianapolis Colts select in a recent two-round mock draft?
After acquiring Sauce Gardner at the NFL trade deadline, the Colts are without a first-round pick this year. The first opportunity they will have to make a selection comes in Round 2 and pick No. 47 overall.
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Not having a first-round selection puts an added emphasis on GM Chris Ballard’s ability to find some immediate help on Day 2 and the early portion of Day 3 of the NFL draft.
“It does put a premium on making sure those second, third, fourth round picks end up being really good,” Ballard said.
So, using PFF’s mock draft simulator, who did the Colts come away with?
In this mock, the Colts selected Missouri defensive end Zion Young.
This pick, according to ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr.’s big board, would be a tremendous value for the Colts. Young is the fourth-ranked defensive end on Kiper’s big board.
Listed at 6-5 – 262, Young had a breakout year in 2025, recording 56 pressures and eight sacks. He also graded out as one of PFF’s better run defenders among his position group.
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As Ballard said during his end-of-season press conference, the Colts need “more fuel” up front. This unit struggled to get after the quarterback consistently last season.
In addition to needing more production, Kwity Paye, Samson Ebukam, and Tyquan Lewis are all set to be free agents.
Defensive end has to be a major priority this offseason.
This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: 2026 NFL mock draft: Colts land top ranked pass rusher