New 7-Round Colts Mock Adds Explosive Playmaking, Abandons Pass Rush

Mock drafts continue to pour in as analysts put their finishing touches on preparation for the 2026 NFL Draft on Thursday.

NFL.com's Chad Reuter put out another seven-round mock draft recently, which gives the Indianapolis Colts some interesting additions.

While the Colts certainly get more explosive in this mock, it leaves critical needs, such as edge rusher and MIKE linebacker as afterthoughts, electing instead to go with the best players available:

WR De'Zhaun Stribling, Ole Miss

Stribling is a great option; perhaps the best receiver fit for the Colts in the entire draft, but taking him in the top 50 is a bit of a reach unless the team is dead set on leaving the draft with him. Still, he's a height-weight-speed prospect who makes a ton of plays downfield and with the ball in his hands. Stirbling has the juice to help fill the void left by Michael Pittman Jr. and AD Mitchell.

LB/S Kyle Louis, Pittsburgh

Louis is one of my favorite players in this entire draft class, but a team like the Colts would likely use him at strong safety rather than WILL linebacker, especially after signing Akeem Davis-Gaither in free agency. Louis is explosive, rangy, and flies to the ball, and he has some of the best playmaking instincts among defenders in this draft. In the last two years, he has 182 tackles (24.0 for loss), 10.0 sacks, six interceptions, two forced fumbles, two fumbles recovered, six pass breakups, and a defensive touchdown.

DB Bud Clark, TCU

Clark is the type of player who helps modernize a defense with the ability to play the big slot position. At 6'1", 188, he has 1,338 career snaps in the slot, 846 in the box, and another 510 at free safety. He's a physical player who also displays good coverage instincts, and has great ball production with 15 career interceptions, 21 pass breakups (and two defensive touchdowns).

ED Caden Curry, Ohio State

The Colts are finally on the board with an edge defender, but it's Curry, who has the shortest arms (30-1/8") for an edge on record in pre-draft testing, and he has an incomplete athletic profile due to not participating in all testing at the Combine or pro day. Curry was incredibly productive in his lone season as a starter, with 11.0 sacks and 16.5 tackles for loss, but it's a tough sell for this to be the only player you take at a position of such great need.

S Kapena Gushiken, Ole Miss

Gushiken is yet another versatile defensive back, whom the Colts have hosted for a pre-draft 30 visit. He's a 5'10", 189-pound safety who is likely to play more slot in the NFL if he finds a defensive role, but could be a high-level special teams player. He displayed elite workout scores at Ole Miss' pro day, running a 4.35 in the 40, a 6.77 three-cone, a 40" vertical, and 11'0" broad jump.

RB Rahsul Faison, South Carolina

It's been a long journey for the 26-year-old Faison to get where he is, going from Marshall (2019), to Lackawanna College (2020), to Snow College (2021-22), to Utah State (2023-24), and ultimately to South Carolina (2025). He's been productive over the last few years, totaling 2,584 yards from scrimmage and 16 touchdowns since 2023, but his athletic testing is nothing spectacular. He's a tough, patient runner who may give the Colts what they're looking for alongside Jonathan Taylor and DJ Giddens.

IOL Logan Taylor, Boston College

Taylor has experience all over the line between Virginia (2021-22) and Boston College (2023-25), with 19 starts at left tackle, 10 at left guard, nine at right tackle, and eight at right guard. He's projected to play guard in the NFL, where his length, mobility, and technique can be put on full display.