The NFL Draft is one of the most exciting times of the year as fans watch their favorite teams select collegiate stars to come play professional football. Throughout seven exciting rounds and 262 total picks, the Indianapolis Colts chose eight players in the NFL Draft, and while they did not have a first round pick due to the Carson Wentz trade made with the Philadelphia Eagles last year, many of the players that they took look to be solid additions to the Colts’ roster.

Round 2, Pick 53 – Alec Pierce – WR – University of Cincinnati

The Colts addressed their need for a wide receiver with their first pick in the draft. After trading back to pick 53, the Colts selected Alec Pierce, a dangerous wide receiver from the Cincinnati Bearcats. Standing six foot, three inches, Pierce was a dynamic receiver for the Bearcats utilizing both his height and speed to create advantages for himself against opposing defenders. At the NFL Combine in March, Pierce ran a 4.41 second 40 Yard Dash and recorded an incredible 40.5 inch vertical jump. Playing across the field from fellow Colts receiver Michael Pittman, Pierce helps create a receiver duo that will be a matchup nightmare for opposing defensive backs.

Round 3, Pick 73 – Jelani Woods – TE – University of Virginia

After the retirement of Jack Doyle, the Colts needed to fill the gap that he left. Enter Jelani Woods. The tight end from Virginia joins a tight end room that includes veteran Mo Allie-Cox and Kylen Granson. Measuring at six foot, seven inches, Woods is a physical, hard-nosed tight end who is not afraid to take a hit. Woods looks to be a player who can be plugged into the Colts’ lineup almost instantly as a rotational tight end, showing the ability to block in the run game and create big plays in the passing game.

Round 3, Pick 77 – Bernhard Raimann – OT – Central Michigan University

The Colts bolstered their already strong offensive line with the addition of Raimann. With the likely departure of left tackle, Eric Fisher, the Colts were left with a big need on the left side of the line. Raimann is an excellent blocker who thrives in all areas of blocking. He is a capable lead-blocker which will definitely assist the Colts’ All-Pro running back, Jonathan Taylor. Expect to see Raimann making quite a few starts during his rookie season.

Round 3, Pick 96 – Nick Cross – S – University of Maryland

Cross is entering Indianapolis with high hopes from many fans. Out of the University of Maryland, Cross was an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention in each of his three seasons with the Terrapins. Cross has shown great speed throughout his collegiate career in addition to posting a 4.34 second 40 Yard Dash at the NFL Combine. The Colts have struggled with injuries at the safety position with former first round pick, Malik Hooker, struggling with injuries during his tenure in Indianapolis and Julian Blackmon, a bright, young star for the Colts, missing most of his season last year with injury trouble. Cross is definitely a player who can be a new strong spot on an already solid Colts defense.

Round 5, Pick 159 – Eric Johnson – DT – Missouri State University

After not having a pick in the fourth round, the Colts scooped up an All-Missouri Valley talent in Eric Johnson. Johnson joins a loaded defensive line, headlined by two-time Pro Bowler and All-Pro DeForest Buckner. While Johnson does not have an incredible amount of hype surrounding him, he is a player that will be able to learn from many experienced players from Colts’ defensive line that should shape him into a solid rotational defensive lineman for Indianapolis.

Round 6, Pick 192 – Andrew Ogletree – TE – Youngstown State University

In addition to the Jelani Woods pick, the Colts doubled down on tight ends by selecting Andrew Ogletree. Ogletree is not the most polished tight end, and he has struggled with both catching and blocking throughout his collegiate career, but he is a great athlete with solid physical attributes, especially his height. He has shown the ability to create separation throughout his collegiate career by using his physicality and speed. The Colts are known for their ability to develop players, including fellow tight end, Mo Allie-Cox, someone who had never played organized football before signing with the Colts, so Ogletree is definitely in a great situation and could develop into a valuable player for the Colts.

Round 6, Pick 216 – Curtis Brooks – DT – University of Cincinnati

In the sixth round, the Colts selected their second player from the Cincinnati Bearcats when they chose defensive tackle Curtis Brooks. Brooks was a first-team All American Athletic Conference player in his final season with the Bearcats and has expressed explosive athletic tendencies on the defensive line. Despite earning top honors in his conference, he does not have much starting experience. He was not officially a starter until his final season in college. This should not be a major issue as the Colts boast one of the strongest, most experienced defensive lines in the NFL, so Brooks will have many incredible mentors, and similar to Johnson, he should become a solid rotational defensive lineman for the Colts.

Round 7, Pick 239 – Rodney Thomas – DB – Yale University

With their final pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Indianapolis Colts selected Rodney Thomas. The Yale product enters the league with experience at both linebacker and defensive back. In the 2019 season, Thomas was named an All-Ivy League honorable mention as a linebacker. In the 2021 season, he was moved to defensive back, where he had a solid season. Thomas is not a guy that the Colts can plug in immediately. His career will definitely be a project in Indianapolis, but do not count him out. Thomas has already shown his versatility as a player in college, so he could definitely blossom into a solid role player for the Colts.

Many draft experts believe that the Colts had one of the best draft classes throughout the entire league, but it is important to remember that this is before any of these players have stepped foot onto an NFL field. This is only the beginning for these young prospects.