The Colts on Friday announced jersey numbers for their 2026 NFL Draft class, and prior to those guys taking the field for their first NFL practice, linebacker CJ Allen and safety A.J. Haulcy explained how they wound up with their new digits.
Allen wore No. 3 at Georgia, and that number with the Colts is occupied by kicker Spencer Shrader. Haulcy donned No. 13 during his lone season at LSU and also wore No. 2 (at Houston) and No. 24 (at Houston and New Mexico). Those numbers are taken with the Colts in wide receivers Laquon Treadwell (No. 13) and Josh Downs (No. 2), while Hall of Fame running back/flanker Lenny Moore's No. 24 is retired.
For Allen, he said he was given No. 53, and when he received it a few things began to click.
"It all started making sense – 53rd pick," Allen said. "It's a great linebacker number, especially here."
The Colts traded down from pick No. 47 to pick No. 53, where they selected Allen in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft. And Allen alluded to linebacker Shaquille Leonard – the 2018 AP Defensive Rookie of the Year and a three-time first-team AP All-Pro – who wore No. 53 over his six seasons with the Colts.
For Haulcy, he was given a few options and gravitated toward No. 25, which was his first jersey number when he began playing organized flag football.
For both players – and the Colts' entire rookie class – the opportunity this week to put on a Colts jersey for the first time was a special one, especially after a lengthy post-college, pre-draft process.
"It felt amazing," Haulcy said. "This was my first time putting on a jersey in a while. Just to get back out there and lace my cleats up and to be a part of this team, it means a lot. I was just very proud when I put on this jersey."
