Round 1: Laiatu Latu, DE, UCLA (No. 15 overall)

Round 2: Adonai Mitchell, WR, Texas (52)

Round 3: Matt Goncalves, OT, Pitt (79)

Round 4: Tanor Bortolini, C, Wisconsin (117)

Round 5: Anthony Gould, WR, Oregon State (142) | Jaylon Carlies, LB, Missouri (151) | Jaylin Simpson, DB, Auburn (164)

Round 6: Marshall DB Micah Abraham, DB, Marshall (201)

Round 7: Oklahoma DT Jonah Laulu, DT, Oklahoma (234)

I was surprised to see Indianapolis end the defensive player drought at No. 15 when they chose Laiatu Latu, not because he wasn’t deserving of such a selection, but because I thought they might look elsewhere. Instead, the Colts took an edge rusher who was among the best in the class and will slide him into a group that suddenly looks more powerful than simply being known as DeForest Buckner and Friends. Colts general manager Chris Ballard pushed back against reports of character concerns regarding Adonai Mitchell mere hours after selecting him, and honestly, I agree: Mitchell’s talent and potential was worth the supposed risk of choosing him in the middle of the second round. Plus, the Colts added a running mate for Michael Pittman Jr. for a second straight year, then doubled down by adding another in Anthony Gould — fully stocking up for Year 2 of the Anthony Richardson experience. I loved the choices of Matt Goncalves and Tanor Bortolini for a team that has needed reinforcements along the offensive line, especially with a couple of starters playing on expiring deals in 2024. I have high hopes for Bortolini, who impressed me at the NFL Scouting Combine and was a fantastic value pick in the fourth round — especially if Indianapolis needs to replace Ryan Kelly a year from now. In total, Ballard spent his nine picks as if he was grocery shopping for months, adding a large volume of supplies to a cabinet that didn’t need a ton of ready-made meals. I would’ve liked a backup running back for Jonathan Taylor, though. We’ll see how it pans out in the years ahead.