Colts and ‘The Beast’: Dream picks, sleepers, fun facts about Indy’s potential draft targets

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Dane Brugler has done it again.

The Athletic’s top draft guru released his annual draft guide, “The Beast,” and this year’s version is better than ever. This edition, which includes a revamped digital interface, features over 400 player profiles and over 2,700 prospects in total. When the 2025 NFL Draft begins next week, there’s a strong chance each player selected will have already been highlighted in “The Beast,” which further illustrates Brugler’s deep draft knowledge.

If you’re anything like me, you’ve already spent a lot of time in “The Beast” researching for the draft and pretending you’re a general manager. Since I cover the Indianapolis Colts, most of my inquiries were regarding what I believe to be the team’s three biggest positions of need: tight end, right guard and linebacker. Indianapolis has seven picks, starting with No. 14 selection, to strengthen its roster. But instead of focusing all of my attention on my final big board or mock draft, both of which are forthcoming, I leaned on a fun approach I implemented during last year’s draft coverage. For the second straight year, as I analyzed dozens of prospects who could address the Colts’ top positional needs, I split them into three categories: Dream pick, sleeper pick and “Did you know?”

Let’s dive into the nine players who stood out!

Tight end

Dream pick: Penn State’s Tyler Warren | Brugler’s tight end ranking: No. 1

The Colts re-signed veteran Mo Alie-Cox to a one-year deal, but bringing him back isn’t enough to elevate a tight end room that finished with the second-fewest receiving yards in the NFL last year (467). Indianapolis needs a “game-changer,” according to GM Chris Ballard, and Warren has the potential to be just that. The 6-foot-5, 256-pound tight end was a bit of a late bloomer in college, but he capped his career at Penn State with a dominant 2024 campaign. Warren totaled 104 catches for 1,233 yards and eight TDs (with just three drops). He also registered 26 carries for 218 yards and four touchdowns. The 22-year-old’s upside as a blocker and pass catcher could make him a mismatch nightmare for opposing defenses, especially if the Colts don’t have to tip their hand and can stay in 11-personnel (using just one tight end) whenever Warren is on the field.

A sound argument can be made for Michigan’s Colston Loveland to be the first tight end drafted, and Brugler thinks he’d also be a good fit with the Colts. However, when I asked Brugler at the combine to put his Colts GM hat on and only pick one, he leaned toward Warren because he’s more of a traditional tight end, who may be more ready-made for the NFL.

Brugler’s breakdown: “Warren still has developing to do as a route runner and blocker, but he is an agile-footed big man who naturally tracks the football with dependable hands and a hunger to create after the catch. He projects as a rookie NFL starter with traditional qualities, as well as the schematic versatility to be a multi-tool weapon for a play caller.”

Sleeper pick: Texas’ Gunnar Helm | Brugler’s tight end ranking: No. 7

Helm was the first player who came to Brugler’s mind when I asked him which tight end in this year’s class is being overlooked. The 22-year-old didn’t put up gaudy numbers like Warren, but he still had a memorable season in 2024 with 60 catches for 786 yards and seven TDs (with two drops) en route to second-team All-SEC honors. Helm, who is 6-foot-5 and weighs 241 pounds, is known for making contested catches and his ability to elude defenders in the open field despite not having great breakaway speed. Helm didn’t do himself any favors by spraining his ankle and running a 4.84-second 40-yard dash at the combine. But if the Colts decide to address a position other than tight end in the first round, Helm, whom Brugler projects as a third- or fourth-round pick, could still be a catalyst at the next level.

Brugler’s breakdown: “Helm will need time to adjust to NFL physicality as a blocker, but he has the toughness and pass-catching talent to potentially become a three-down player. His tape shows a possible mismatch weapon, but his lackluster combine performance will give NFL teams pause.”

Did you know: Bowling Green’s Harold Fannin Jr. | Brugler’s tight end ranking: No. 6

Fannin has charted one of the most improbable journeys to this year’s NFL draft. The former zero-star recruit saw his minimal FBS recruitment evaporate due to poor grades after he was forced to switch to online learning because of COVID-19 midway through his high school career, which is typically when recruits land offers and make their college commitments. Bowling Green threw a Hail Mary to Fannin in his senior year, offering him a scholarship in April 2022, two months after signing day. What I didn’t know is that Fannin was primarily a safety in high school, per Brugler. To make the switch to tight end full-time in 2022 and become a consensus All-American by 2024 is nothing short of remarkable. Fannin is undersized for the NFL, standing 6-foot-3 and weighing 241 pounds, but his eye-popping production with 117 catches for 1,555 yards and 10 TDs (with four drops) in 2024 has Brugler projecting him as a third-round pick.

Brugler’s breakdown: “Fannin is somewhat of an unconventional prospect. He is awkwardly athletic with stiff, restricting movements, but he plays with straight-line explosiveness, outstanding tracking skills and threatening run-after-catch ability. He fits best as a hybrid H or F tight end and offers three-down potential.”

Right guard

Dream pick: Georgia’s Tate Ratledge | Brugler’s guard ranking: No. 1

Ballard and Colts coach Shane Steichen were both tight-lipped about the team’s plans to replace starting right guard Will Fries, who joined the Vikings in free agency. Ratledge could be the perfect player to fill that void, especially if Indianapolis doesn’t feel comfortable moving 2024 third-round pick Matt Goncalves, who started eight games combined at both tackle spots last year, inside to right guard. Ratledge started 37 games at right guard for Georgia, highlighted by 13 starts in 2023 en route to winning the program’s second straight national title. The soon-to-be 24-year-old has built a reputation as a mauler while also being extremely disciplined with just three penalties (two holding calls and one false start) over the last two years combined, per Brugler. Ratledge’s experience (2,081 snaps at right guard) should make him a Day 1 starter at that position in the NFL.

Brugler’s breakdown: “Ratledge is a self-described ‘dirtbag’ with the contact power, competitive edge and functional movement skills to match up against NFL defensive linemen. He should compete for a starting role as a rookie and has the necessary tools for a decade-long pro career, if he stays healthy.”

Sleeper pick: LSU’s Miles Frazier | Brugler’s guard ranking: No. 5

Unlike Ratledge, Frazier has experience all over the offensive line. Across five years at Florida International and LSU, Frazier started at left tackle, right tackle, left guard and right guard. Fraizer is most experienced at right guard, making 28 of his 51 college starts at that position, and had a breakout season in 2024. The 23-year-old didn’t allow a sack last year and dominated at the Senior Bowl, according to Brugler. Frazier isn’t an explosive athlete, so a quicker defensive lineman could cause him trouble in the NFL, but his hand technique and sound base usually help him hold his own in the trenches while buying his QB time and/or opening lanes for his running back. Brugler projects Frazier as a third-round pick.

Brugler’s breakdown: “Frazier has an NFL body with mauling play strength and competitive toughness, which gives him starting potential — if he can find improved consistency to mask his average athleticism. He best fits teams that prioritize size and mass.”

Did you know: Purdue’s Marcus Mbow | Brugler’s guard ranking: No. 6

Football and weight lifting are synonymous … or at least that’s what I thought. While perusing through “The Beast,” Brugler dropped a nugget about Mbow that made me do a double take: The 22-year-old didn’t lift weights until the summer of 2019, heading into his junior year of high school. How many potential NFL players can you say that about? How many linemen? That seems like an impossible feat, but according to Brugler, Mbow’s first love was basketball, and his mind wasn’t always focused on getting stronger at the line of scrimmage. As he developed more in high school, Mbow eventually went all in on football, and it’s paid off in a big way after a solid career at Purdue. Brugler projects Mbow, who made 14 starts at right tackle and 14 starts at right guard, as a third-round pick. His agility has carried over from the hardwood to the gridiron, but he’ll need to work on his base so he isn’t so easily pushed off his spots at the next level.

Brugler’s breakdown: “Mbow needs to continue developing his play strength and consistency through contact, but his athletic body control and skilled hands are the foundation of a player who will compete for NFL starting snaps, be it at tackle or inside at guard or center. His play style and potential are reminiscent of Zach Tom.”

Linebacker

Dream pick: Alabama’s Jihaad Campbell | Brugler’s linebacker ranking: No. 1

I know some of you may be thinking, “Every dream pick you’ve made is the No. 1 player at the position. That’s so obvious!” But to counter that, I truly believe Warren, Ratledge and Campbell could all be available at No. 14, especially the latter two. The first round may be too high to draft a linebacker. However, that position remains a glaring need for Indianapolis, and Campbell has the potential to instantly elevate the Colts’ defense. His outstanding short-area quickness, paired with his 4.52-second 40-yard dash at the combine, suggests that he could be a playmaker in pass coverage, which is what the Colts’ sorely lacked from their linebackers last season. Campbell is already a sound run defender who plays with a lot of physicality, and his versatility could help new Indy DC Lou Anarumo turn the team’s porous defense around.

Brugler’s breakdown: “Campbell is an explosive, physical athlete with the developing instincts to impact the game as a run defender, cover man and blitzer from various angles and depths (some teams like him best as a full-time edge rusher). He is a first-round talent, although the medical feedback (knee surgery in August 2023 and shoulder surgery in March 2025) will be crucial for his final grade.”

Alabama LB Jihaad Campbell could fill a glaring need for the Indianapolis Colts. (Stacy Revere / Getty Images)

Sleeper pick: Oregon’s Jeffrey Bassa | Brugler’s linebacker ranking: No. 4

Bassa, who was originally recruited as a safety, excelled in pass coverage at Oregon, and his ability to quickly dissect routes and concepts bodes well for the next level. He’s a rangy athlete capable of making up a lot of ground, which allows him to make plays in the open field. Bassa, whom Brugler projects as a third- or fourth-round pick, also flashed his potential as a blitzer. The 22-year-old isn’t the strongest linebacker, and he’ll have to improve his play strength to shine in the NFL, but he still plays with a healthy level of targeted violence. Bassa sometimes attacks before fully assessing a play, per Brugler, so he must be more patient in the NFL, which features offenses that are a lot more complex than what he faced at Oregon.

Brugler’s breakdown: “Bassa (who wore the green dot for the Ducks in 2024) needs to turn the ‘almost’ plays into more steady production, but he does everything well on the football field and can become an NFL starter with improved consistency. His football arrow is pointing up.”

Did you know: South Carolina’s Demetrius Knight Jr. | Brugler’s linebacker ranking: No. 6

There are always a few moments while reading “The Beast” that I can’t help but wonder if Brugler is more of a private investigator than a draft analyst. No stone is left unturned in his background work, including this factoid on Knight: In addition to being the cousin of former three-time Pro Bowl cornerback DeAngelo Hall, the 23-year-old is also related to R&B legends Gladys Knight and Aretha Franklin. That’s some pretty special lineage, and I wonder if that means Knight will steal the show whenever he’s inevitably forced to sing as a rookie. On a more serious note, Knight is already doing his part to uphold his family legacy. The 25-year-old linebacker is projected as a third- or fourth-round pick, according to Brugler, after notching 82 tackles and a team-high three forced fumbles during his lone season at South Carolina in 2024. Knight Jr. had his struggles in pass coverage, and he’ll need to be better in that area to blossom as a pro. But he possesses incredible closing speed that allows him to lower the boom on ball-carriers, and his special-teams background (675 snaps in college) should help him see the field in some capacity sooner rather than later.

Brugler’s breakdown: “Knight won’t be a true three-down player for some schemes, but he fits the bill for a defense seeking a fast, thumping run stuffer and blitzer with an old-school mentality. He has early-down starting potential and should see immediate reps on special teams.”

(Top photo of Tyler Warren: Robin Alam / ISI Photos / Getty Images)

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