Wish List: Indianapolis Colts' Top 25 Options On Day 2 of Draft

The first round of the 2026 NFL Draft has come and gone, and now, the Indianapolis Colts can get in on the action as of Friday evening when Round 2 begins.

The Colts are currently slated to make the 47th overall pick, although the possibility always persists that they trade back to add more selections later.

There is still plenty of talent, even first-round-caliber talent, remaining on the board.

Here are ColtsRoundtable's top 25 players available for the Colts on Day 2:

1. DE T.J. Parker, Clemson: Parker falling to the Colts at 47 would be their best-case scenario, as he is a first-round-worthy edge rusher who could feasibly start for them opposite of Laiatu Latu on Day 1. Parker has the size, length, power, and athleticism to be a truly impactful edge player.

2. LB Anthony Hill Jr., Texas: The Colts need a MIKE linebacker to replace Zaire Franklin, and Hill can be that for them while also providing all the traits they covet in a linebacker: speed, athleticism, size, length, and playmaking ability.

3. LB Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech: Rodriguez is a three-down MIKE 'backer like Hill, but a little feistier against the run while also being shorter, with less length. Rodriguez's instincts are arguably second to none among defensive players in this draft, which may make his smaller stature irrelevant to some teams.

4. SS A.J. Haulcy, LSU: Haulcy is a rangy, hard-hitting safety like the Colts lost in Nick Cross, but Haulcy's football instincts and understanding of coverage are at a much higher level. He can be the base strong safety and play some dime linebacker. Plus, he has 1,300-plus snaps of experience at free safety, and another 350-plus in the slot.

5. SS Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Toledo: McNeil-Warren is a big, physical safety with plus athleticism and the ability to take the ball away. He has 16 combined interceptions, forced fumbles, and fumble recoveries in his career.  

6. CB D'Angelo Ponds, Indiana: Like Rodriguez, Ponds probably wouldn't still be available if not for his stature. Ponds is a pure football player despite his 5'8", 182 frame. He's got toughness, instincts, elite athleticism and coverage skills, and special playmaking ability. If the Colts are going to trade Kenny Moore II this weekend, they can get a player in Ponds who plays just like him.

7. LB/SS Kyle Louis, Pittsburgh: Louis' best fit in the NFL may be as a WILL linebacker, but there are teams like the Colts where he might be a box safety. He's 220 pounds and a hair under six-foot, but has terrific athleticism, mobility, and makes countless plays on the ball. In the last two years, he's stuffed the stat sheet with 182 tackles (24.0 for loss), 10.0 sacks, two forced fumbles, two fumbles recovered, six interceptions, six pass breakups, and a defensive touchdown. Unless the Colts want to play Akeem Davis-Gaither at MIKE linebacker, Louis would likely replace Cross in the box.

8. DT Kayden McDonald, Ohio State: McDonald is arguably the best run defender in the draft. He'd be a perfect eventual replacement for Colts nose tackle Grover Stewart, who will be 33 years old by the time the 2026 season ends.

9. WR Denzel Boston, Washington: The Colts will miss Michael Pittman Jr.'s toughness over the middle and ability to come down with the contested catch, but Boston could help alleviate the loss. The Colts are looking for more of a separator to start opposite of Alec Pierce, but it depends on how much they value the tough, clutch yardage that Boston could provide them for what he lacks in elite mobility.

10. DE Zion Young, Missouri: The Colts don't have much competition at their strong side end spot, with incumbent Jaylanh Tuimoloau and his 215 rookie snaps and newcomer Micheal Clemons being the main natural base ends on the roster. Young is a powerful edge player who might be the best run-defending edge in the class. He's a work in progress as a pass rusher, but he checks a significant box of having the strength it takes to hold up in the trenches.

11. DE Gabe Jacas, Illinois: Jacas, a former Florida All-State wrestling champion, has similar power and contact balance as Young. However, Jacas is a better pass rusher than Young while lacking as a run defender. Jacas may start his career as a designated pass rusher until he gets a better feel for playing on early downs, but the power profile and juice off the edge is there.

12. CB Colton Hood, Tennessee: Hood was widely considered a first-round prospect, but runs at other positions made him available on Day 2. He's not got exceptional size or length, but his toughness and ability to mug receivers in man coverage are something that Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo would value.

13. CB Aveion Terrell, Clemson: Terrell hasn't had the pre-draft cycle he'd hope for while dealing with a hamstring injury, but he's got a ton of speed and quickness on tape that could make him an absolute pest in the slot at the next level.

14. DE Cashius Howell, Texas A&M: Colts general manager Chris Ballard said during his pre-draft press conference that he feels the Colts need "a fastball" off the edge, which is Howell's game, but that's about where the fit ends. He does have good production, with 35.5 tackles for loss and 27.0 sacks in four years, but he's got some of the shortest arms ever recorded for an edge rusher at the Combine, and he doesn't have elite strength or athleticism to counter it.

15. DT Christen Miller, Georgia: Georgia is known for churning out big, athletic defensive linemen, and it could finally be the Colts' turn to get in on the action. At nearly 6'4" and 321 pounds, with 33-inch arms, Miller has the size, length, power, and mobility to be a starting interior defender early in his career, which could line up with the Colts' timeline for Stewart, who is entering the final year of his contract.

16. LB Jake Golday, Cincinnati: Golday is a perfect run-and-chase linebacker, with tremendous size (6'4", 240), who is a glass-eater against the run, and moves really well out in the open in coverage. He has extensive experience lining up in the box, at edge, and in the secondary.

17. LB Josiah Trotter, Missouri: Trotter is one of the younger players in the draft, but his instincts against the run are already some of the best in the class. He hasn't played long enough to develop plus feel in coverage, but he has the athleticism to get there. The clear confidence and comfort he shows in the box makes it feel as if there's more to uncover in his game.

18. WR De'Zhaun Stribling, Ole Miss: The Colts can help fill the void left by Pittman and AD Mitchell in one player, which is Stribling. He's 6'2", 207, and ran and jumped well at the Combine. He's got good hands, some of the best yards-after-catch ability in the draft, and likes to take on the dirty work on blocking. He'd be a home run for what the Colts need at receiver.

19. LB C.J. Allen, Georgia: If the Colts wants to address their linebacker needs with very little risk, Allen is their guy. He's not elite in any one area, and he's not a natural playmaker, so his ceiling is limited, but he's smart, adequately checks most boxes, and is a good leader.

20. CB Brandon Cisse, South Carolina: Cisse shows toughness and explosive athleticism as a boundary corner, but he lacks plus size and length at 5'11", 189, with sub-31-inch arms. Still, he's competitive and a tone setter.

21. WR Skyler Bell, UConn: Bell is only 5'11", 192, but he gets great separation, runs really effective routes, and has some of the best YAC ability in the draft. He can lineup anywhere in the formation and has plenty of highlight-worthy catches on tape.

22. DE Jaishawn Barham, Michigan: Barham is new to being a pass-rusher, but has shown some of the best upside among 2026 prospects as a three-down edge player. He's only 6'3", 240 (converted off-ball linebacker), but he's got great power and toughness against the run, and enough athleticism and flexibility to suggest he could be a productive pass-rusher.

23. WR Chris Brazzell II, Tennessee: Brazzell is a tall, skinny receiver with great speed and the ability to make things happen with the ball in his hands. Having both he and Pierce on the outside, with Josh Downs and Tyler Warren cleaning things up inside and within the sticks, could cause critical issues for defenses.

24. DE R Mason Thomas, Oklahoma: If you went solely off of Thomas' tape, you'd think you were getting an undersized, but explosive, bendy pass rusher along the lines of a Nik Bonitto. Unfortunately, Thomas' pre-draft process sort of tells another story. The 6'2", 241 shows a stocky player, and his 31-5/8" arms are under the length threshold. On top of it, he ran a 4.67 in the 40-yard dash and didn't look particularly explosive in testing/field work. Do you trust the tape or the pre-draft process?

25. DB Kamari Ramsey, USC: Ramsey is a wise, experienced player could fit best as a slot in the NFL rather than just at safety, although he could move around between both. His route recognition and quick feet make him ahead of the curve in coverage. He's a tough player who likes to set the tone, although that can get him in trouble with missed tackles.