Colts' Draft Needs: Finding Latu's Partner

0:00On April 19th, the Indianapolis Colts are gearing up for the 2026 NFL Draft from April 23 to 25th, and there, defensive in spot needs some firepower. They hold seven picks right now, just two in the top 100, with their first at 47th overall. GM Chris Ballard wants more draft capital, maybe by trading cornerback Kenny Moore. They beefed up the position in free agency by signing Arden Key and Michael Clemens as rotational guys. But they lost Samson Ebbacom to the Falcons, and Quadi paid to the Raiders, while Taikwan Lewis sits unsigned. Current roster features Lai Tu Latu as the anchor, plus JT Tuim Malau, Durrell and Chami and Viliami Fahoko Jr. Though Tuim Malau's role is still A, question mark. Fans and analysts see a clear gap, no true high impact partner for Latu yet. Without a first rounder, building around him means adding competition to push the group, rather than landing a star. That could elevate the whole defense if the depth chart heats up.

1:01Looking at prospects outside the top 40, names like Malachi Lawrence from UCFF 40, Armason Thomas from Oklahoma at 46, and Gabe Joccas. From Illinois at 52 stand out. Deeper options include Derek Moore from Michigan, Danny Dennis Sutton from Penn State, and more down to George Gums Jr. from Florida. Battered might wheel and deal to snag one of these edges, turning modest picks into pass rush juice that fits the Colts rebuild.