NFL Draft best available players for Indianapolis Colts: Smael Mondon Jr. and Brashard Smith

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Day 1 of the NFL Draft was about the offense, but Day 2 was about the defense. After the Indianapolis Colts selected Penn State tight end Tyler Warren in the first round, they bolstered their defense with the additions of Ohio State defensive end JT Tuimoloau and Minnesota cornerback Justin Walley in Rounds 2 and 3.

Indianapolis has four picks left (one in each remaining round), but Ballard has typically traded back on Day 3 to recoup more selections. The Colts’ focus on the final day of the draft will likely shift back to the offense, with an exception, perhaps, for weakside linebacker. Indianapolis still needs reinforcements along the offensive line, most notably at right guard. The team could also use a backup running back with pass-catching ability.

Here are more than 20 players still on the board who could be fits in Indianapolis.

Note: The number on the left indicates where the player ranks on Dane Brugler’s top 300. 

84. Purdue OT/G Marcus Mbow | 6-foot-4, 302 pounds | RAS: N/A

Mbow was one of the rare bright spots for a Purdue team that went winless in the Big Ten last year. The 22-year-old still received an honorable mention All-Big Ten nod after starting all season at right tackle. Brugler believes Mbow, who also started one full year at right guard in 2022, has the potential to play inside or outside in the NFL. However, a lot of his success will hinge on whether he can significantly improve his play strength so he’s not so easily displaced.

104. Georgia LB Smael Mondon Jr. | 6-foot-2, 224 pounds | RAS: 9.42

Mondon has impressive sideline-to-sideline speed that helps him cover running backs coming out of the backfield and tight ends who may think they have the upper hand in space. The 22-year-old has “four-down potential” in the NFL, according to Brugler’s analysis in “The Beast,” but his injury history is worth mentioning. Mondon underwent meniscus surgery in high school, labrum surgery in 2022, foot surgery in 2023 and missed four games in 2024 due to another foot injury.

126. UConn RT Chase Lundt | 6-foot-7, 303 pounds | RAS: 6.45

Braden Smith, who told IndyStar that he missed the last five games of the 2024 season due to a battle with OCD, will return as the team’s starting right tackle in 2025. However, Smith is still entering the last year of his contract, and Lundt could be a solid investment for the present and future. The 24-year-old must build a stronger base to hold his own in the NFL, but he offers depth as a potential swing tackle.

145. UCLA LB Kain Medrano | 6-foot-2, 222 pounds | RAS: 9.83

Medrano’s speed, range and motor are exactly what the Colts should be targeting as they try to upgrade their linebacker room. The 24-year-old totaled 11 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles, six passes defensed and two interceptions in his final season at UCLA. He must clean up his missed tackles to become a full-time NFL starter, but new Indy DC Lou Anarumo would likely welcome Medrano’s versatility as he implements his multifaceted schemes.

147. Miami RB Damien Martinez | 5-foot-11, 217 pounds | RAS: 8.17

Martinez averaged 6.1 yards per carry across three college seasons (the first two at Oregon State and the last at Miami) and earned an honorable mention All-ACC nod in 2024. The 21-year-old doesn’t have breakaway speed, but he’s a proven bell cow who could come in handy if Colts starter Jonathan Taylor, who’s missed at least three games due to injury each of the past three seasons, goes down again.

151. Indiana DT CJ West | 6-foot-1, 316 pounds | RAS: 9.15

The Colts’ starting defensive tackles, DeForest Buckner and Grover Stewart, are both 31, and it would be wise for the team to start backfilling that position for the future. West, who began his college career at Kent State before transferring to Indiana, tallied 7.5 tackles for loss in his lone year of Big Ten play. The 22-year-old is undersized for the NFL, but his heavy hands and quick feet should still help him wreak havoc in the trenches.

159. SMU RB Brashard Smith | 5-foot-9, 194 pounds | RAS: 7.21

Smith ended his college career with a standout 2024 campaign that helped propel SMU into the College Football Playoff. The 22-year-old is undersized for the NFL, but his pass-catching abilities out of the backfield (108 receptions in four years at SMU) would be welcome in Indianapolis.

162. Notre Dame QB Riley Leonard | 6-foot-3, 216 pounds | RAS: N/A

The Colts would certainly raise some eyebrows by drafting a QB, especially amid the ongoing competition between Anthony Richardson and Danel Jones for the starting role. However, Leonard, 22, may be worth taking a flyer on as the team’s QB3 thanks to his dual-threat skill set, toughness and leadership.

168. Kansas RT/LT Logan Brown | 6-foot-6, 311 pounds | RAS: 9.50

Brown certainly has the athleticism to compete in the NFL, but he started just 14 of the 38 games he played in college (13 at right tackle and one at left tackle), and his technique needs a lot of refinement to consistently see the field as a pro. Ideally, the 24-year-old could use his “interesting combination of size, quickness and natural power,” per Brugler, to become a reliable swing tackle.

170. Notre Dame LB Jack Kiser | 6-foot-1, 229 pounds | RAS: 7.68

Kiser did a little bit of everything as Notre Dame’s starting middle linebacker, but it’s his ability to cover running backs and tight ends in space that should endear him to the Colts. The 24-year-old has average play-strength, per Brugler, but he’s always around the ball, and his relentless effort will make it hard to keep him off the field.

178. Kansas OT/G Bryce Cabeldue | 6-foot-4, 308 pounds | RAS: 9.40

Cabeldue started 50 games at Kansas, 39 at right tackle and 11 at left tackle, but Brugler believes his lack of length could force him inside at the next level. The 23-year-old can get a little too upright, which allows defenders to push him off his base, but his physicality and explosiveness should still help him carve out a depth role.

181. Texas RB Jaydon Blue | 5-foot-9, 195 pounds | RAS: 6.34

Blue clocked a 4.38-second 40-yard dash at the combine, and his tape shows a player who’s “a threat to make a house call at any point,” per Brugler. The 21-year-old is a reliable target coming out of the backfield, scoring six receiving TDs during the 2024 campaign, but Brugler noted that scouts have raised concerns about his inconsistent work ethic.

186. Texas Tech RB Tahj Brooks | 5-foot-9, 214 pounds | RAS: 8.58

Brooks capped his college career with back-to-back seasons with at least 1,500 rushing yards, plus another 199 receiving yards on 28 receptions (7.1 yards per catch) in 2024. The soon-to-be 23-year-old displayed impressive contact balance and routinely churned out additional yards after being hit, but his workload in college (879 carries in five years) raises questions about his long-term outlook in the NFL.

191. Kansas FS Marques Sigle | 5-foot-11, 199 pounds | RAS: 9.64

Sigle began his college career at FCS North Dakota State before transferring to Kansas State, where he was a two-year starter. The 22-year-old totaled 16 passes defensed and four interceptions during that span, but he’ll need to improve his anticipation and coverage angles, per Brugler, to thrive as an NFL free safety.

198. Wisconsin SS Hunter Wohler | 6-foot-2, 213 pounds | RAS: 9.25

Brugler projects Wohler as a fifth-round pick, and the 22-year-old may be a smart depth addition at strong safety in case Cross gets banged up this season. Wohler could get exposed in deep coverage in the NFL, according to Bugler, but he has excellent “run-diagnosis skills” that put him in position for tackles while also offering special teams experience.

207. UTSA CB Zah Frazier | 6-foot-2, 186 pounds | RAS: 9.35

Frazier will likely need to pack on a few pounds to hold up physically in the NFL, but the 24-year-old offers a lot of upside thanks to his height and arm length. One drawback of Frazier is that he started just 10 games in college, all during the 2024 season in which he earned first-team All-AAC honors. However, as a late-round prospect, it’s not hard to see why a team would take a chance on him.

219. Wisconsin OT/G Joe Huber | 6-foot-5, 310 pounds | RAS: 8.98

Huber played snaps at all five positions along the offensive line during his college career, and his versatility should put him on the radar of several NFL teams on Day 3 of the draft. Brugler believes the soon-to-be 23-year-old, who spent the last two years at Wisconsin starting at left and right guard, can offer some insurance as an interior backup.

225. Oklahoma State LB Collin Oliver | 6-foot-1, 240 pounds | RAS: 9.74

Oliver is a bit of a tweener, so it could take some time to figure out where exactly he’s best suited at the next level. The 22-year-old is a dynamic athlete with a knack for being disruptive, evidenced by his 40.5 tackles for loss in 43 college games. Brugler believes he could find his niche as a sub-package blitzer.

227. Georgia DT Warren Brinson | 6-foot-5, 315 pounds | RAS: 9.10

Brugler notes that Brinson “looks like an NFL player with his height, build and length,” but his technique and consistency need a lot of refinement to reach his potential. The 23-year-old is projected as a sixth-round pick by Brugler and may be worth a flyer given his impressive athleticism.

228. Indiana QB Kurtis Rourke | 6-foot-4, 220 pounds | RAS: N/A

Rourke’s draft stock may have taken a hit since he was sidelined for most of the pre-draft process as he rehabbed from a torn ACL, which he played on during the 2024 season. Despite being limited this offseason, the 24-year-old’s poise and accuracy during Indiana’s run to the College Football Playoff helped solidify him as a legitimate NFL prospect.

241. Florida CB Jason Marshall Jr. | 6-feet, 194 pounds | RAS: 9.42

Marshall was a four-year starter at Florida and led the team in passes defensed in 2022 and 2023 before a torn labrum limited him to seven games in 2024. The 22-year-old has a physical play style and showed he can match up with a variety of receivers. However, his technique needs a lot of work if he’s going to survive and, ideally, thrive in the NFL.

(Photo of Brashard Smith: Grant Halverson / Getty Images)

This news was originally published on this post .

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