The Colts selected Boettcher in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 135th overall.
Boettcher’s athleticism doesn’t jump off the page, and he’s a little undersized at 6-foot-1, 233 pounds but has the speed to get to ball carriers and proved to have a nose for the football with the Ducks, racking up 132 tackles and one sack as a senior, adding five pass deflections and an interception to his resume. He’ll join a revamped Colts linebacker room that added all of Akeem Davis-Gaither and John Bullock in the 2026 calendar year via free agency (Davis-Gaither) and waiver claim (Bullock) and CJ Allen as a second-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Boettcher likely faces an uphill battle to see regular playing time as a rookie and will presumably be asked to contribute on special teams, but he’ll get a chance to prove his worth in camp.