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Ballard's Draft Dilemma: Can the Cat Deliver?

About this episode

Chris Ballard, the Indianapolis Colts GM, faces a challenging 2026 draft without a first-round pick. Known for his strategic trades, Ballard must now innovate to fill roster gaps. His past successes, like trading with the Jets in 2018 to secure Quentin Nelson and Darius Leonard, offer hope. However, the pressure is on to replicate his magic and deliver impactful players this time around.

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Ballard's Draft Dilemma: Can the Cat Deliver?

Indianapolis Colts News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now!

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Full transcript

Indianapolis Colts News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now!Ballard's Draft Dilemma: Can the Cat Deliver?. Machine-transcribed; use the interactive transcript above to jump the player to any line.

On April 8th, Chris Ballard, the Indianapolis Colts GM, known as the Cat for dodging so many close calls, faces real heat heading into the 20. 26 draft, no first-round pick means he's starting from a tough spot, stacking the odds against him right from the gate. Back in 2018, Ballard pulled off a masterclass by trading back with the jets, landing four second-round picks and turning them into gems. Like Quinton Nelson and Darius Leonard, both all pros duds, plus Braden Smith. That hall reshaped the roster, with fans still buzzing about the impact. Two elite players alone made it a massive win, even if picks like Himiko Tirei. Flopped and Taikwan Lewis was solid but no star. Deeper in, fourth-rounder Nyheim Hines and seventh-round Zaire Franklin added real depth, proving Ballard's eye for talent when he hits. Now with roster holes staring him down, he needs that same creativity to consolidate picks or swing big question is. Can the Cat land on his feet one more time and deliver the hits?

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