Longtime ESPN draft guru provides Colts ‘B’ total grade for 2025 NFL Draft class

In line with ESPN longtime NFL Draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. (subscription), the Indianapolis Colts earned a ‘B’ grade from their 2025 draft class—which was highlighted by first spherical choose and one in all this yr’s high tight ends Tyler Warren:

Indianapolis Colts: B

Prime wants coming into the draft: Tight finish, guard, heart and linebacker

The Colts have to determine if Anthony Richardson (and even Daniel Jones) is their true franchise quarterback this season. However it’s actually laborious to try this if the quarterback’s supporting forged isn’t as much as snuff.

Step 1 is getting playmakers. Tight finish Tyler Warren will transfer throughout this offense and dominate irrespective of the place offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter places him. Penn State used him as a standard in-line tight finish, an H-back, a fullback, out of the slot and lined up out vast. The Colts’ tight finish room, led by Kylen Granson, managed 39 catches (final) for 467 yards (second final) and two TDs (tied for second final) in 2024. However drafting Warren ought to change all the things there. He had 700 receiving yards after the catch final season.

Immediately, Richardson has a dependable outlet who can haul in something and stretch the seams, and Indy didn’t have to maneuver as much as get my No. 7 prospect. It was actually the best-case situation for GM Chris Ballard on Thursday.

Step 2 is addressing the safety. Bear in mind, the Colts misplaced Will Fries and Ryan Kelly in free company. They had been twenty fifth in move block win fee final season (56.4%), and Richardson was one of many worst QBs within the NFL when pressured (20.2 QBR, twenty fourth within the league). I feel they fell somewhat brief right here. They waited till Day 3 and reached a bit even at that time within the draft, taking offensive deal with Jalen Travis at No. 127. I might have liked guard Marcus Mbow in that spot.

Two extra picks to name out. JT Tuimoloau had 12 sacks final season, and the Colts ranked thirty first within the NFL with a 26.2% stress fee in 2024. He has a whole lot of upside as a second-rounder. And working again DJ Giddens will likely be a great backup to Jonathan Taylor. Giddens broke 1,200 speeding yards in every of the previous two seasons.

For what it’s price, when requested by a detailed buddy what I ranked the Colts’ current draft class, I gave a barely higher ‘B+’. After having Warren fall into their laps in Spherical 1, the Colts may’ve drafted all kickers from there on out, and I’d’ve nonetheless been joyful.

Okay, possibly not, but it surely was going to be laborious to destroy that early momentum.

Nonetheless, I actually appreciated the alternatives of Warren, versatile defensive finish JT Tuimoloau, working again D.J. Giddens, and particular groups ace LB Hunter Wohler, and we’ll see about the remainder.

Kiper Jr. is correct although that the Colts didn’t handle their different two large roster holes—together with tight finish, specifically at linebacker and proper guard.

Underneath new defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo—and simply how the sport is at the moment being performed proper now, the Colts venture to make use of extra two linebackers of their base protection and go together with extra of a nickel look, which explains the stunning Justin Walley choose in Spherical 3.

Nonetheless, it places a whole lot of stress on 2nd-year linebacker Jaylon Carlies, who’s nonetheless recovering from offseason shoulder surgical procedure, as a result of outdoors of him, the cabinet is fairly barren amongst succesful first-team linebacker choices for his or her 2nd linebacker spot.

In the meantime, at proper guard, the Colts may definitely slide high swing-tackle Matt Goncalves, one other 2nd-year professional, into that spot. Whereas Goncalves may seemingly maintain his personal there, it weakens the group’s total offensive deal with depth, leaving simply Third-year professional Blake Freeland and rookie 4th spherical choose Jalen Travis. Veteran Braden Smith has suffered from availability points the previous few seasons—partially due to lingering accidents.

An NFL franchise can’t draft purely on positional want since you’ll miss out on higher gamers. That being mentioned, it looks like each offseason, longtime Colts’ basic supervisor Chris Ballard has left one or two positions as much as an inside competitors—with none type of confirmed veteran depth as insurance coverage.

It’s labored in some circumstances concerning Nick Cross (security) and Will Fries (proper guard) not too long ago, but it surely’s additionally backfired when contemplating the likes of Matt Pryor (left deal with), Danny Pinter (proper guard), and so forth. It looks like this offseason it’s at linebacker and proper guard proper now.

To be truthful, the Colts may nonetheless signal a veteran proper guard or linebacker into the combination to bolster the competitors and for depth functions. Nevertheless, we could not see it in any respect both.

From that standpoint, it stays a strong, if unspectacular ‘B’ grade by Kiper Jr.

Reminding everybody, “who within the hell is Mel Kiper anyway?”