Expert: Todd McShay, ESPN
Date of mock draft: Dec. 13, 2017 (link)
Selection: Bradley Chubb, defensive end, North Carolina State
Analysis: "This team has needs all over, but it is one of the few in the top 10 that should be set at QB, with a (presumably) healthy Andrew Luck coming back next season. Without an offensive tackle worthy of such a high pick, I'm looking for edge help here. Chubb has a great skill set and a nonstop motor, and he has played his way into being a top-10 pick. He is a plug-and-play starter."**
——————————Expert: **Dan Kadar, SBNation.com
Date of mock draft:Jan. 8 (link)
Selection:Bradley Chubb, defensive end, North Carolina State
Analysis: "The pick for the Colts has often been Penn State running back Saquon Barkley, but don't forget that they were bad at getting after the quarterback this season. According to Football Outsiders, the Colts had the third-worst sack rate in the NFL last season. The Colts need someone who can get after the quarterback, and in this draft Chubb is the best at it. This pick especially makes sense if the Colts use more even fronts next season."——————————Expert:Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz, USA TODAY Sports
Date of mock draft:Jan. 4 (link)
Selection:Saquon Barkley, running back, Penn State
Analysis:"Given its languid pass rush and offensive line that gave up a league-worst 56 sacks this season, Indianapolis might be hard-pressed to take a running back this high, especially in a deep class. Barkley, however, is the sort of do-everything weapon who can be a transformational piece and give quarterback Andrew Luck the help he'll need in a potential return. And it doesn't hurt his case that owner Jim Irsay recently advocated for giving Luck an "Edgerrin James type of player.""——————————Expert:Luke Easterling, DraftWire
Date of mock draft:Jan. 3 (link)
Selection:Bradley Chubb, defensive end, North Carolina State
Analysis:"There are plenty of needs on both sides of the ball for the Colts, but they start in the trenches. One of the nation's most disruptive and productive defensive players over the past two seasons, Chubb is arguably the top overall prospect in the entire class."——————————Expert:Walter Cherepinsky, WalterFootball.com
Date of mock draft:Jan. 6 (link)
Selection:Bradley Chubb, defensive end, North Carolina State
Analysis:"Indianapolis has some nice edge rushers in Jabaal Sheard and John Simon, but neither is the elite talent Bradley Chubb happens to be. With Saquon Barkley off the board, Chubb is one of the two best players available. The Colts don't need a safety (Minkah Fitzpatrick), and it might be too early to select a guard (Quenton Nelson), so Chubb makes the most sense at No. 3 overall. Chubb steadily moved up my mock drafts during the season. At 6-4, 275, Chubb has a great blend of size and speed, and he's been dominant this season. There's some talk that Chubb is viewed as the top defensive prospect in NFL circles."——————————Expert:Charlie Campbell, WalterFootball.com
Date of mock draft:Jan. 5 (link)
Selection:Arden Key, defensive end, LSU
Analysis:"The Colts grab the an edge defender who can be the building block for their defense and a potential franchise defensive player. Key is a fast edge rusher with a ton of upside to develop. Sources have told me that the 6-foot-6, 260-pounder loves football and is a hard-worker who strives to improve in the offseason. They said he has worked with pass-rushing-moves guru Chuck Smith, and that is impressive dedication for a collegiate player. Key missed the first two games of 2017 and was eased back into action in Week 3 against Mississippi State. He had three tackles and a half-sack against the Bulldogs. Key also had a game-clinching sack against Auburn. He played well taking on Alabama, having his way with both offensive tackles. For 2017, Key totaled 33 tackles with four sacks and a forced fumble. In 2016, Key was one of the best players in college football. He recorded 56 tackles with 14.5 for a loss, 12 sacks, three forced fumbles and three passes broken up on the year. Key is a dangerous pass-rusher with excellent speed and the ability to bend around the corner. He flashed a ton of potential as a freshman for LSU, totaling 41 tackles with 6.5 for a loss, five sacks and one pass broken up."——————————Expert:Chris Trapasso, CBS Sports
Date of mock draft:Jan. 3 (link)
Selection:Quenton Nelson, guard, Notre Dame
Analysis:"If Jim Irsay makes this pick, it just might be Barkley. But Chris Ballard, another GM who cut his teeth as a scout for over a decade, knows his offense can't operate at maximum efficiency if Andrew Luck isn't protected well. Nelson is the best offensive lineman in the draft."——————————Expert:Bob McManaman, Arizona Republic
Date of mock draft:Jan. 4 (link)
Selection:Saquon Barkley, running back, Penn State
Analysis:"Barkley looks like the real thing and in an era of young, elite running backs in the NFL, he could be the next great one. He'll make a valuable offensive weapon for a team that desperately needs one and can help ease Andrew Luck back into the swing of things. Barkley averaged 5.7 yards per carry this past season as a junior and is a very good pass receiver as well."——————————Expert:Josh Hill, FanSided.com
Date of mock draft:Jan. 7 (link)
Selection:Mike McGlinchey, tackle, Notre Dame
Analysis:None.——————————Expert:Chris Roling, Bleacher Report
Date of mock draft:Jan. 7 (link)
Selection:Derwin James, safety, Florida State
Analysis:None.——————————Expert:DraftBlaster.com
Date of mock draft:Jan. 8 (link)
Selection:Connor Williams, tackle, Texas
Analysis:"Nothing can be said about the Colts' draft without mentioning Luck and hoping he can come back completely healthy next year. Even in a worst case scenario where he can't, they should seriously consider mending the issue that caused him to get hurt in the first place – the offensive line. Connor Williams got hurt early in the year, but before that looked to be the top left tackle prospect in the draft. He hasn't come all the way back, but has plenty of time to get back to that during the draft process. Ballard has done a good job rebuilding a roster void of talent but the Luck situation looms large."——————————Expert:Connor Riley, SEC Country
Date of mock draft:Jan. 8 (link)
Selection:Connor Williams, tackle, Texas
Analysis:"For the Colts, it's simple: They must do a better job of protecting Andrew Luck, provided he can return in 2018. As long as Williams can stay healthy, he'll be a top draft pick."——————————Expert:Rob Rang, NFLDraftScout.com
Date of mock draft:Jan. 1 (link)
Selection:Saquon Barkley, running back, Penn State
Analysis:"All indications are that Andrew Luck will be back in 2018, though no one knows how effective he will be. While acknowledging a defense desperately in need of playmakers, adding a dynamic talent like Barkley to soften Luck's return and make the Colts less one-dimensional seems like an easy choice."——————————Expert:Jason McIntyre, The Big Lead
Date of mock draft:Jan. 1 (link)
Selection:Saquon Barkley, running back, Penn State
Analysis:"A trio of Andrew Luck, Ty Hilton, and Barkley will be explosive and keep the strong Texans/Jags defenses on their heels. There are many needs on defense. And they need a coach, too."——————————Expert:Nick Klopsis, Newsday
Date of mock draft:Jan. 1 (link)
Selection:Bradley Chubb, defensive end, North Carolina State
Analysis:"Jacoby Brissett filled in capably for an injured Andrew Luck, but he had very little help from a defense that was third-worst in yards per game (5,873) and second-worst in sacks (25). They need someone opposite Jabaal Sheard, who led the team with 5 1⁄2 sacks. Bradley Chubb has good size at 6-4, 260 pounds, and he was a consistent producer for the Wolfpack with 20 sacks and 44 tackles for loss in the last two seasons. He could provide a much-needed boost of athleticism for the Colts' struggling pass rush."
