History is a good indicator that one Indianapolis Colts Day 3 draft pick will be playing sooner rather than later.
No one has hit the football field yet, but early external reactions are that the Indianapolis Colts pulled in a very respectable haul last week in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Despite not having a first-round pick, the Colts found a few players whose value increased greatly by the time they got to them, ultimately leading to a talented group full of potential.
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler talked to people across the NFL to gather intel on each team's draft class. His biggest takeaway from the Colts was about fourth-round pick, Kentucky guard Jalen Farmer, who was the 113th overall pick.
"Fourth-round Kentucky guard Jalen Farmer will likely play early and often," Fowler wrote. "That has become the Colts' way -- draft midround linemen and throw them into the lineup. The team has selected five linemen in the third or fourth round since 2022: Jalen Travis, Matt Goncalves, Tanor Bortolini, Blake Freeland, and Bernhard Raimann. Those five have started a combined 114 games."
As Fowler mentioned, mid-round offensive linemen have become a common occurrence in Indy, and they almost always play as rookies.
Since offensive line coach Tony Sparano Jr. arrived in 2023, the Colts drafted Blake Freeland in the fourth round and Jake Witt in the seventh round in 2023, Matt Goncalves in the third round and Tanor Bortolini in the fourth round in 2024, Jalen Travis in the fourth round in 2025, and now Farmer in the fourth round this spring.
Sep 28, 2024; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Kentucky Wildcats offensive lineman Jalen Farmer (52) blocks Mississippi Rebels linebacker TJ Dottery (6) during the first half at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn ImagesWitt, whose career was cut short due to a hip injury suffered early into his first training camp, is the only aforementioned player who didn't see the field as a rookie.
Freeland, Goncalves, Bortolini, and Travis combined to average 483.5 offensive snaps as rookies, and 52.0 on special teams, so Farmer playing serious time in 2026 is closer to being a certainty than it is just a possibility.
"He's talented," Colts general manager Chris Ballard said about Farmer the night they drafted him, when asked if Farmer could play right away. "I mean, look, you can't – competition makes everybody better. It just does, all right. So, he will definitely be talented enough. How fast he gets it and if he earns it, then he'll play."
The Colts had clearly been eyeing Farmer for quite some time and already have a specific plan of attack for him.
"We think very highly of Farmer," Ballard said. "He's a big, powerful man, and he's going to be a really good addition to our o-line, not only from a talent standpoint, but also from a cultural standpoint. He fits what we look for, and we also think he's got some swing at tackle. So, it'll be nice to add him in the mix and watch him compete."
With Farmer's presence potentially affecting multiple areas on the Colts' line, Ballard was asked about specifics as to where Farmer will play.
"We'll probably start him inside here during OTAs and during summer camp, and when we get to training camp, we'll mix and match like we do."