Indianapolis, IN — NFL Scouting Combine festivities kicked off earlier this week with media availability, with yesterday marking the first of four days of on-the-field workouts.
The initial wave in question was comprised of front seven defenders — the defensive line and linebacker rooms — coincidentally, the same position grouping that Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard specified on Tuesday that the team is looking for.
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Earlier in the offseason, Ballard revealed that Indy is looking to get ‘younger and faster’ on defense; when we met with him this week, he reiterated a similar sentiment, though this time he made it clear that linebackers and defensive linemen are the main goal(s).
With that being said, we’re going to cover five different prospects who not only showed out at Lucas Oil Stadium yesterday evening, but fit the Colts both in type as well as projected draft range.
Jacob Rodriguez
Linebacker – 6’1”, 231 lbs
Placing fifth in Heisman voting (and 3rd in 1st-place votes), Jacob Rodriguez demanded headlines during his last season at Texas Tech. Leading the Red Raiders to the College Football Playoff, Rodriguez tied a single-season NCAA record with seven forced fumbles to pair with his four interceptions — a true takeaway machine.
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His leadership and knack for the ball should alone be enough for the Colts to covet, but then you add in his top-tier athletic testing. Perhaps this is wishful thinking coupled with recent nostalgia, but Indy has been missing a playmaker at linebacker since Shaquille ‘Darius’ Leonard and Jacob Rodriguez could fill said void.
A special athlete with top-notch production.
Jake Golday
Linebacker – 6’4”, 239 lbs
Initially a defensive lineman at Central Arkansas, Jake Golday’s evolution to a full-time Power 4 linebacker at Cincinnati is a cool story. We chatted a bit the other day during his media availability, to which he said that he felt his instincts at backer are still being underrated.
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As far as his athletic profile goes, Golday checks most of the Chris Ballard era boxes. Running a cool 4.62 sec 40-yard dash and testing in the 90th+ percentile in explosion (vertical and broad jumps) grade, Golday’s a work in progress that the front office could talk themselves into taking a shot on.
Dani Dennis-Sutton
Defensive End – 6’6”, 256 lbs
With only a handful of defensive linemen currently under contract for the 2026-27 season, addressing the trenches via the NFL Draft feels inevitable. Though they’ll miss out on the top options due to foregoing their first-round pick as part of a package for star cornerback Sauce Gardner, Days 2-3 of the draft will be Indy’s sweet spot this year.
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Dani Dennis-Sutton is an intriguing project to take a swing at. A steady contributor, he was impactful in all four of his seasons at Penn State despite playing alongside 2025 NFL Draftees Abdul Carter (3rd overall) and Adisa Isaac (93rd overall), culminating in 25 tackles for loss and 17 sacks over his last two seasons.
Lee Hunter
Defensive Tackle – 6’3”, 318 lbs
A member of Texas Tech’s ridiculous front four, Lee Hunter became a fan favorite amongst draft circles during the All-Star events, specifically at the Senior Bowl.
Although the Red Raiders’ defense was littered with talent, Hunter was the straw that stirred the drink across the defensive front. Offering reliable push on any given down, it makes perfect sense that this double-team eraser is beginning to receive his flowers as scouts, analysts, and fans alike can watch him do his thing with a spotlight.
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As for his fit with the Colts, his athletic profile certainly would be an outlier compared to that of Ballard and Co.’s past. The reason I’m including what history suggests to be a long shot is that Indianapolis is in win-now mode. They’ve recently begun to deviate from the norm, and adding Lou Anarumo’s preferences to the mix could help push them into new territory altogether. After all, the defensive duo of DeForest Buckner and Grover Stewart won’t be around forever.
Malachi Lawrence
Defensive End – 6’4”, 253 lbs
Malachi Lawrence started turning heads during the East-West Shrine Bowl and hasn’t stopped since, with his most recent installment setting the NFL Combine on fire. Not only did Lawrence run a 4.52 40-yard dash at his size, but he also dominated the explosive-based workouts, posting a 40” vertical and 10’10” broad jump. Not to mention his ridiculous 33 5/8” arm length.
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Lawrence was a 3-year starter who remained at UCF for all four years of his eligibility. Though he never eclipsed 10+ sacks, he was productive early in his career and remained as such, totaling 27.5 tackles for loss and 19.5 sacks as a starter. If general manager Chris Ballard taps into his old ways of athletic freak with flashes, Lawrence feels like the guy. He is certainly younger and faster than what the Colts have been deploying as of recent.
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