8 Linebackers Colts Can Use to Replace E.J. Speed in Draft

These eight linebackers would all be good fits to replace former Indianapolis Colts linebacker E.J. Speed.

Jan 28, 2025; Mobile, AL, USA; National team linebacker Jeffrey Bassa of Oregon (2) signals during Senior Bowl practice for the National team at Hancock Whitney Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images / Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

The Indianapolis Colts have been intention this offseason about improving a defense that has ranked near the bottom of the league in points allowed over the last three seasons.

They showed coordinator Gus Bradley the door and replaced him with Lou Anarumo. They added clear starters in the secondary in Charvarius Ward and Camryn Bynum, and competitive depth pieces in lineman Neville Gallimore and corner Corey Ballentine.

They also faced the sad-but-true reality of addition by subtraction. Players like Raekwon Davis and Taven Bryan had some positive qualities but represented roles that could be upgraded. The same could be said for the Colts' starting WILL linebacker position, which was vacated by E.J. Speed when he recently signed with the Houston Texans in free agency.

The Colts oversaw the draft and development of Speed throughout his time in the NFL, going from an unknown player out of tiny Tarleton State to a starting linebacker finishing near the top of the NFL in tackles.

However, Speed and starting MIKE linebacker Zaire Franklin did not complement each other well. Both players are primarily downhill run defenders whose abilities in coverage have been a work in progress. Together, they missed 48 tackles, according to Pro Football Focus, creating an incredibly vulnerable area of their defense that helped lead to a bottom-10 run defense.

Franklin is still expected to man the MIKE position but will need a running mate at WILL. Second-year player Jaylon Carlies is the front-runner to replace Speed, but even he needs to be pushed for the spot after missing seven games with injuries as a rookie.

The Colts' new WILL needs to be a fast, fluid, rangy player who can be in the right place in coverage. Length is a plus. If they're a powerful player who can withstand the strong side of the formation or have good abilities as a pass-rusher, then it allows Anarumo to be creative with moving guys around and even using three linebackers at once outside of just a ho-hum base formation.

These eight players represent terrific fits for the Colts in the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft.

Jalon Walker, Georgia

There's a lot of discussion on whether Walker fits best in the NFL as an off-ball linebacker who frequently rushes the passer (like Micah Parson early in his career), or as a full-time edge player who occasionally drops into coverage. Regardless, the Colts want defenders who can be multiple and affect the game from different angles.

Jihaad Campbell, Alabama

If Walker is more of an edge player who dabbles in off-ball duties, Campbell is an off-ball linebacker who dabbles in edge duties. Their versatility is similar, but Campbell is a bonafide do-everything, never-leave-the-field linebacker. He plays with burst, vision, and confidence and would help transform the Colts' defense instantly.

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Carson Schwesinger, UCLA

Schwesinger has the size and athleticism that Colts GM Chris Ballard has coveted in linebackers throughout his career, and all those things translate to the field for Schwesinger. He has an incredibly high football IQ which helps him play freely.

Demetrius Knight Jr., South Carolina

Knight has old school linebacker size (6'2", 235) with modern athleticism, and he uses it to affect the game against the run, in coverage, and as a blitzer, just as Walker, Campbell, and Schwesinger do.

Smael Mondon Jr., Georgia

Mondon covers a ton of ground in a hurry and has the ability to smother running backs and tight ends in coverage. He also has the ability put a hurting on ball carriers as a downhill tackler just as Speed does.

Barrett Carter, Clemson

Carter is incredibly active in the backfield, racking up 30.5 tackles for loss and 12.5 sacks over the last three years, but he isn't just a downhill thumper. He's a heavy contributor in the pass game as well, racking up 20 pass breakups and 3 interceptions. He's not as instinctive as the others but when he has a lane to the ball, he gets there right away.

Danny Stutsman, Oklahoma

Stutsman gives you traditional linebacker vibes, stuffing the stat sheet with 100-plus tackles in each of the last three years. He's very instinctive with a high football IQ but isn't necessarily as fluid of an athlete as some of the earlier-round options. Stutsman's ceiling may not be as high but his floor is quite safe.

Jeffrey Bassa, Oregon

Bassa definitely gets the stamp of being on of "my guys" in this draft. The safety-turned-linebacker plays like it, as he flies to the ball and patrols the middle of the field in coverage with terrific instincts. He can get caught on blocks, but in space, there aren't many linebackers more affective than him. On top of it all, he's a highly vocal leader who supports his teammates but also keeps them accountable.

A few guys hit the cutting room floor. They would be competition at WILL, but are more so a third linebacker or core special teamer: Notre Dame's Jack Kiser, Florida's Shemar James, California's Teddye Buchanan, and UCLA's Kain Medrano.

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