Colts Land 'Injection of Talent' in Latest NFL Mock Draft

The Indianapolis Colts secured a game changer in this new 2025 mock.

Nov 16, 2024; Athens, Georgia, USA; Georgia Bulldogs defensive back Malaki Starks (24) celebrates after a victory over the Tennessee Volunteers at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

While the Indianapolis Colts still have a quarter of the 2024 regular season left to embark on, some have already begun to look ahead toward what the future of this offseason could hold and how an interesting NFL draft cycle could unravel for this roster that has a few notable holes to fill on both sides of the ball.

As a result, we've begun to see some mock drafts emerge around the national media shaking out how exactly the first round could be expected to go next spring. This year's class doesn't expect to be as prestigious as we saw during 2024, but numerous impact players remain scattered across the board for the Colts to have a chance at bringing in.

The Ringer and Danny Kelly are the latest to throw in their projections for how things could go for the Colts and the rest of the league during the 2025 draft. In their mock, we saw Indianapolis end up at the same spot as last year at 15th overall when they selected edge rusher Laiatu Latu. This time, they went with another body to help the defensive unit in Georgia safety Malaki Starks.

"The Colts pass defense has been middling (or worse) in just about every critical category this season, and the team’s back seven needs an injection of talent," Kelly said. "Starks has the potential to make an impact at all three levels of the defense. The versatile safety can line up deep or off the ball or play around the line of scrimmage as a blitzer and stout run defender. He also has instincts in coverage and excellent ball skills."

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The Colts' secondary has remained a prevalent weakness for this team's defense throughout this season, and the addition of the youth and versatility Starks provides could be a game-changer for this Indianapolis defense.

Starks has been a major component of the Georgia defense during his third year with the program, posting 65 total tackles, three passes defended, and one interception. At six-foot-one with elite versatility for his position, he'd be a worthwhile addition to this team's group of defensive backs desperate for playmakers.

Of course, the Colts may benefit more here from a strong boundary cornerback, as opposed to a safety, especially this high in the first round. But with an elite-level safety talent like Starks on the board, it proposes the age-old draft question of valuing talent versus positional value. In this case, Indianapolis opted to lean on raw talent, and it's far from a poor route to go based on the impact Starks brings to the table.

Tons of time remains between now and this offseason's draft, meaning a lot can change between now and the time when the Colts are back on the clock. However, if this is how day one pans out for Indianapolis, it'll be hard to get upset at these results.

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