Indianapolis Colts 2024 Draft - Mock One

With NFL free agency set to open up on March 11th and the franchise tagging period already underway, the Colts have numerous options on what they can do in the upcoming NFL Draft.

It's expected that the team will place the franchise tag on their number one wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. and when free agency opens, the Colts will look to make a run at L'Jarius Sneed from the Kansas City Chiefs to bolster the secondary that got torched in the final game of the season by the Texans.

The Colts will use every pick in the draft to fill positional needs, from the wide receiving core, offensive tackle and the tight end position. This mock draft is based on no trades being made, but we know Chris Ballard—he will be active in trading to acquire more picks.

Here is the first mock draft for the Indianapolis Colts.

Round 1 Pick 15

Cooper DeJean- CB- Iowa

DeJean won't be as active in the upcoming NFL Combine due to a leg injury, but the Hawkeye defensive standout has Top 10 pick talent. Being limited in the upcoming combine could slide him back to fifteen and put the Colts in a perfect spot to draft him. His burst to the football and feel for the play made him a standout at Iowa. At 6' 1" and 209 pounds, DeJean will need to add some muscle but can be ready to start in week one for the Colts.

Round 2 Pick 46

Troy Franklin- WR-Oregon

A much-needed talented target for young signal caller Anthony Richardson can be found in the second round with 6’1” Troy Franklin. In a high-powered offense, Franklin had 1,383 yards in his final season while scoring 14 touchdowns. Putting him in the rotation with Downs, Pittman Jr. and Pierce could give Richardson plenty of weapons in the wide receiver room.

Round 3 Pick 82

Payton Wilson-LB-North Carolina State

One of the true tacklers in this upcoming draft, the fifth year senior was a ball hawk in his time for the Wolfpack. He only missed on ten percent of his tackles over his career and led the team in tackles last season with 138 tackles and 6 sacks. The ultimate competitor will give a life to the defense.

Round 4 Pick 118

Braden Fiske-DL- Florida State

A homecoming of sorts with this pick. The Michigan City, Indiana native can bolster a defense line of the Colts that was plagued by injuries a year ago. He recorded 6 sacks in each of his final two years with the Seminoles, Fiske would add depth at a much-needed position.

Round 5 Pick 150

McCallan Castles- TE- Tennessee

If Brock Bowers from Georgia is on the board in the first round, the Colts will take a long hard look at using the 15th pick on Bowers. Castles is a nice target here in the 5th round. While the tight end position isn’t a glaring need with three tight ends currently on the books, Castles would add quality depth to start the season could provide a spark later in the year once he acclimates to the NFL game.

Round 6 Pick 193

Roger Rosengarten-OT-Washington

Rosengarten has big game experience in his time with the Washington Huskies. His quick feet and fast response time could put him in the rotation on the offensive line right away. It seems to never fail that the Colts offensive line suffers injuries, so adding a durable player in the 6th round would put a smile on Chris Ballard’s face.

Round 7 Pick 232

Marcellas Dial-CB- South Carolina

The best option in the last round is to always find a player to add depth and competition at a spot. Dial is dialed in when it comes to zone coverage and had a standout final year with the Gamecocks. He gave up a few big plays over top, but that's expected when playing high powered offenses in the SEC. A nice NFL comparison for Dial may be Rock Ya-Sin who was drafted by the Colts before being traded to the Raiders.

Final Analysis

Learning from experience, there is a slim chance that Chris Ballard stays put and does not move up, down or out from all of their picks. The phone will be ringing early and often for the Colts as teams may want to move up for the #15 pick in the draft, so buckle in for another wild ride on draft day.