With the 2026 NFL draft near, we will be taking a position-by-position look at where things stand with the Indianapolis Colts.
The draft will take place from Apr. 23-25. The Colts have a modest seven draft picks at the moment, including just two in the top 100. GM Chris Ballard, however, has hinted strongly at wanting to gain additional capital. That, in part, could come from trading Kenny Moore.
Up next in our draft preview are the defensive ends. If you missed our other positional previews, you can find them below.
Colts’ defensive ends on the roster prior to 2026 NFL draft
Colts’ offseason moves at defensive end
What is the Colts’ need at defensive end?
The Colts have added to the defensive end position in free agency, signing Arden Key and Micheal Clemons. However, ideally, both would be rotational players, just as Samson Ebukam and Tyquan Lewis were. We still do not know what the Colts have in JT Tuimoloau either.
For now, it would appear that the Colts still need to find that more high-impact presence to pair with Laiatu Latu, but admittedly, that may be difficult to accomplish without a first-round pick. So adding as much competition as possible for meaningful playing time may have to play a key role in elevating the play this season around Latu.
Top defensive end prospects in the 2026 NFL draft
With help from the consensus big board, here are the top defensive end prospects in this year’s draft class outside of the top 40, since the Colts’ first pick does not come until 47th overall.
This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: Previewing Colts defensive end position ahead of 2026 NFL draft
Reporting by Paul Bretl, Colts Wire / Colts Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
