The 2025 NFL Draft will commence in less than a week, and at 8:00 p.m. E.T., commissioner Roger Goodell will stroll across the stage at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisc. and announce that the Tennessee Titans are on the clock with the first selection.
Unless they make a move toward the top of the draft, the Indianapolis Colts will have to wait a bit for their turn, as they choose 14th.
In recent years, with anticipation of their selections brewing, when the name that the Colts turned in on their draft card is announced, we've been able to see the jubilance on the face of that player. Last year, Colts first-round pick Laiatu Latu was in attendance at the draft in Detroit, and in 2023, Anthony Richardson was there in Kansas City to hear his name called by the Colts.
Will the player the Colts choose first (or maybe even second) be in attendance in Green Bay next Thursday? Here is a list of the 17 names who have accepted invitations to the draft. By being in attendance, there is a reasonable expectation that each should be picked within the top 40 selections.
Not all of these players are realistic matches with the Colts. Players like Cam Ward, Abdul Carter, Travis Hunter, Ashton Jeanty, Will Campbell, and Mason Graham are all highly likely to go in the top 10. Receivers Tetairoa McMillan and Matthew Golden and quarterbacks Jaxson Dart and Jalen Milroe are also highly unlikely due to what the Colts already have on the roster. That leaves seven other players who have a chance at hearing their name called by the Colts
Jihaad Campbell is a name you've seen a lot here on Horseshoe Huddle, and for good reason. The explosive, multi-talented linebacker would transform the Colts' defense alongside Zaire Franklin, but when would his impact be felt? A labrum surgery puts the timeline of the start of his rookie season in question. Will the Colts be patient?
Tyler Booker and Josh Simmons are a pair of offensive linemen that make quite a bit of sense for the Colts, but there are just as big of questions about them as there is with Campbell. Simmons suffered a patellar injury in October, and while he did work out for scouts, when will he be fully cleared for team activities? Booker's tape is undeniably great, but his athleticism scores were well below what the Colts look for, especially in a first-round pick.
Defensive backs Malaki Starks and Will Johnson were more commonly mocked to the Colts earlier in the offseason before free agency when the Colts signed starters Charvarius Ward and Camryn Bynum. Still, Johnson likely gives the Colts a high-end starting corner opposite of Ward, but how well does he fit? Questions about his long speed have many slotting him to zone-heavy teams, and the Colts are going to be playing more man coverage. With Starks, he can play several roles in the secondary but there isn't as clear of a lane for him as there was before Bynum was signed.
Defensive ends Shemar Stewart and Mykel Williams are definitely Colts types, but Stewart's perfect pre-draft athletic score leaves questions as to why he only had 4.5 sacks in college. Williams came into the 2024 season with sky-high expectations, but an ankle injury nagged him all year. He ran a somewhat disappointing 40 time at Georgia's pro day, leading to questions about his current health or just about his explosiveness in general.
