With the 2024 college football season inching closer, let’s take a brief look ahead to the Indianapolis Colts’ 2025 NFL draft with Pro Football Focus’ top draft-eligible defensive tackles.
PFF has recently gone through all 11 positions and picked the top 10 draft prospects from each. Here is who they chose at defensive tackle. For more details on each player, click here.
Mason Graham, Michigan
PFF mentions that the upcoming defensive tackle class looks “loaded,” adding that there could be multiple first-round picks from this position group, including a couple top-10 selections potentially.
Adding to this position group next April probably won’t be a must for the Colts, given that DeForest Buckner, Grover Stewart, and Raekwon Davis will all still be under contract together for the 2025 season.
However, we all know how important building the defense through the trenches is to GM Chris Ballard, so adding to the defensive line is more likely than not going to be in play to some degree.
Between the defensive end and defensive tackle position groups, the Colts have built a hockey-like rotation heading into the 2024 season, as assistant GM Ed Dodds referred to the depth earlier this offseason.
With eight or even nine defenders defensive coordinator Gus Bradley can rely on, it allows him to rotate often, keeping players fresh, and to really play specific matchups by mixing and matching rotations based on the opponent and situation.
With that said, the fourth spot of the interior defensive line rotation is up for grabs this summer and dependig on how this season plays out, could be a position the Colts want to upgrade or at least add competition to during next year’s draft.
And not to be forgotten about, but the draft is about planning ahead, not only addressing immediate roster needs. If we look beyond 2025, Davis will be a free agent in 2026 and both Buckner and Stewart will be in the final year of their deals at that point.
