What grades did the Indianapolis Colts receive from experts for their 2025 NFL draft class?
What grades did the Indianapolis Colts receive from experts for their 2025 NFL draft class?
You can find the full Colts’ draft class here.
In terms of positional needs specifically, GM Chris Ballard pretty much checked every box that I’m assuming most had prior to the draft. Now, when he checked some of those boxes, that might be a different story.
The offensive line and linebacker are the two positions I’m referring to here. Jalen Travis gives the Colts offensive tackle depth and the added flexibility to move Matt Goncalves to guard with his presence. However, I still wonder what the plan at right guard is?
Will Goncalves just get the job? Will Tanor Bortolini compete with him there–although that then only leaves Danny Pinter as the center. Or maybe Ballard still explores free agency. Either way, there are unknowns.
Then at linebacker, as Ballard said afterward, the board didn’t fall correctly for them to address the need before Round 7 with Hunter Wohler, who played safety in college.
While those are the questions, the Colts also landed arguably the best tight end in the class, who should make an instant Day 1 impact. Having a do-it-all player like Warren in an offense will not only create opportunities for himself to exploit, but also for others around him. He can be a force multiplier.
JT Tuimoloau, DJ Giddens, and Tim Smith should all have the opportunity to carve out roles at their respective position groups as well. I would call this a very solid draft for the Colts.
So those are my brief thoughts on the draft class, but what do the experts think overall? Let’s dive in and see.
NFL.com
Grade: A
USA Today
Grade: B
Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz: “First-round TE Tyler Warren fell into their lap at No. 14 – and could be ideal for a team that ought to be running the ball while providing help to its muddled quarterback situation … which has a new ingredient in sixth-rounder Riley Leonard, most recently of Notre Dame. Second-round DE JT Tuimoloau arrives at the intersection of value and need.”
New York Post
Grade: B
Ryan Dunleavy: “The multi-year search for a tight end is over. And it ended with great value as the multi-dimensional Warren fell to No. 15. Tuimoloau had 6.5 sacks in four College Football Playoff games. There were several better cornerbacks available at No. 80 than Walley.”
ESPN
Grade: B
Mel Kiper Jr.: “Two more picks to call out. JT Tuimoloau had 12 sacks last season, and the Colts ranked 31st in the NFL with a 26.2% pressure rate in 2024. He has a lot of upside as a second-rounder. And running back DJ Giddens will be a good backup to Jonathan Taylor. Giddens broke 1,200 rushing yards in each of the past two seasons.”
CBS Sports
Grade: C+
Chris Trapasso: “Walley went early for my liking, and I didn’t see an NFL future for Riley Leonard, although the quarterback spot is far from secured on this team. The middle of this class was better than the beginning and the end.”
Pro Football Focus
Grade: B+
PFF: “Tyler Warren is everything NFL offenses look for at tight end: a do-it-all player with day-one impact in the run and pass games. The Penn State standout earned an impressive 93.4 PFF receiving grade this past season with incredible efficiency, having averaged 2.78 yards per route run (97th percentile). Anthony Richardson now has a full complement of playmakers to roll with into the 2025 campaign.”