Colts sought to go up in first round

In the lead-up to last night’s first round of the draft, the Colts were mentioned as a potential candidate for a move up the order.

Adding a receiver or highly regarded tight end Brock Bowers was a reported target, but the team finally decided to focus on the opposing side of the ball.

After a historic first round of 14 offensive players, Indianapolis selected UCLA edge rusher Laiatu Latu. However, this decision followed a deliberate effort to trade up. Following the conclusion of the first round, general manager Chris Ballard addressed the matter.

“We had some serious, serious discussions,” Ballard stated (per Joel A. Erickson of the Indianapolis Star). “With big offers, by the way.”

Meanwhile, Fox59’s Mike Chappell reports that the Colts’ climb up the draft order was most likely intended to acquire LSU wideout Malik Nabers. Indianapolis was rumored to be interested in Marvin Harrison Jr., but a deal that left the franchise in position to sign either pass-catcher would have come at a significant cost. The Cardinals selected Harrison fourth overall, as expected, while the Giants selected Nabers two spots later.

The Latu selection surprised many. Part of the reason for this is that Indianapolis did not meet in person with the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year, as ESPN’s Stephen Holder points out. Latu’s medicals (resulting from neck surgery that jeopardized his future ability to play football) made him one of the most divisive prospects in the 2024 class. Teams frequently spend significant time communicating with athletes who have such potential problems, but the Colts were content to use their top pick without in-person discussions in this situation.

Indianapolis was not the only team interested in selecting Latu. According to Steve Wyche of NFL Network, the Falcons attempted to trade back into the first round, acquiring the former Bruins sack artist (video link). Atlanta perhaps the biggest surprise of the night by taking Michael Penix Jr. eighth overall, but adding Latu would have addressed the team’s more immediate roster gap along the edge. Instead, the Colts stuck at No. 15 and added a high-potential presence to their front seven.