{"id":859322,"date":"2026-04-07T16:48:25","date_gmt":"2026-04-07T16:48:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/859322\/"},"modified":"2026-04-07T16:48:25","modified_gmt":"2026-04-07T16:48:25","slug":"the-colts-are-benefiting-from-a-recent-change-in-college-football","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/859322\/","title":{"rendered":"The Colts are benefiting from a recent change in college football"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Indianapolis Colts are benefiting from a shake-up in the college football world ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft, and there is no reason to think it\u2019ll be going away any time soon.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\"Colts
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFeb 24, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indianapolis Colts coach Shane Steichen speaks at the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center.
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tKirby Lee-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

The 2026 NFL Draft<\/a> is less than three weeks away, which means the Indianapolis Colts<\/a> are finishing up their final work on this class. <\/p>\n

This includes scheduling in-person visits with top prospects, attending pro days, and having each team host a local pro day. The Colts\u2019 local pro day took place on Tuesday, and the list of invitees this year is pretty notable. <\/p>\n

Here\u2019s the #Colts<\/a>\u2019 local pro day roster for today. Dillon Thieneman, Omar Cooper Jr., and D\u2019Angelo Ponds are the headliners. Lots of IU this year. pic.twitter.com\/DQ7ux5cFDc<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Jake Arthur (@JakeArthurNFL) April 7, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Colts local pro day invitations<\/p>\n

The Colts\u2019 local pro day included invitations to 73 players in total. This list includes schools in the state or nearby, as well as players who grew up in the state of Indiana. <\/p>\n

Here are the most notable names that are expected to hear their names called fairly early in the 2026 NFL Draft:<\/p>\n

Omar Cooper, WR, Indiana<\/p>\n

D\u2019Angelo Ponds, CB, Indiana<\/p>\n

Elijah Sarratt, WR, Indiana <\/p>\n

Dillon Thieneman, Oregon<\/p>\n

Aiden Fisher, LB, Indiana<\/p>\n

\"FormerJan 19, 2026; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Indiana Hoosiers wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. (3) against the Miami Hurricanes in the College Football Playoff National Championship game at Hard Rock Stadium. Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

Outside of a couple of decent years at Purdue, the Colts have only had one respected in-state college program to include in their local pro day. That being said, , which shockingly has zero players on the invite list this year. <\/p>\n

That is no longer the case, though, as the Colts and the rest of the world are still getting used to the Indiana Hoosiers\u2019 success in football<\/a> over the last two years. The Hoosiers are coming off back-to-back appearances in the College Football Playoffs and a national championship this past season. This has led to a large group of Hoosiers finds themselves with invitations to the Colts\u2019 local pro day. <\/p>\n

Indiana Hoosiers are invited to the Colts local pro day<\/p>\n

Kahil Black, OL<\/p>\n

Kaelon Black, RB<\/p>\n

Devan Boykin, S\/LB<\/p>\n

Pat Coogan, OL<\/p>\n

Omar Cooper, WR<\/p>\n

Stephen Daley, DL<\/p>\n

Aiden Fisher, LB <\/p>\n

Brendan Franke, K<\/p>\n

Mikail Kamara, DL<\/p>\n

Mark Langeston, LS<\/p>\n

Mitch McCarthy, P<\/p>\n

Louis Moore, S<\/p>\n

Riley Nowakowski, TE<\/p>\n

D\u2019Angelo Ponds, CB<\/p>\n

Elijah Sarratt, WR<\/p>\n

E.J. Williams, WR<\/p>\n

16 Hoosiers in total made the list, and with Curt Cignetti at the helm, it seems like this will just be how it is going forward. The Colts\u2019 ability to field a longer list of talent at their local pro days is more notable than some may think. <\/p>\n

A lot of teams won\u2019t use one of their allocated top-30 visits to players attending local pro days. The reason for this is that it\u2019s like a free time for them to bring them into the building. In the past, the only star-studded names the Colts would see on the list came from Notre Dame or guys who played high school football in-state, but chose to go out of state for college. <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"Colts\t\t<\/p>\n

Indianapolis Colts News<\/p>\n

Looking at the four positions that have a strong argument to be the Colts\u2019 first selection in the 2026 NFL Draft, which is set to come in the second round after their offseason decisions to date.\n<\/p>\n