With the 2025 NFL Draft imminent, speculation has grown to a fever pitch about who each team will pick, and what it will mean for their prospects. For the Indianapolis Colts, their first-round pick is widely believed to be a tight end, one of their highest-need positions, with Tyler Warren or Colston Loveland the most likely candidates. This is, an all likelihood, exactly what will happen, but a new round-up of first-round picks has taken a different perspective.
At Pro Football Focus, Dalton Wasserman compiled a “surprise” mock draft, consisting solely of picks that no one would see coming. For the Colts, his choice was North Dakota State’s Grey Zabel.
“The Colts lost center Ryan Kelly and right guard Will Fries in free agency. They have young players like Tanor Bortolini and Dalton Tucker, who played a substantial amount last season, but they could seek an infusion of young talent to compete with them. Zabel’s versatility would give Indianapolis options as they look to sustain their traditionally strong offensive line.”
Dalton Wasserman
Zabel comes from a smaller school, but he’s an interesting prospect nonetheless. It’s been widely assumed that, after drafting a tight end, the Colts will move to address the holes in their offensive line from the loss of Kelly and Fries. During the Senior Bowl, Zabel was a dominant figure, winning overall practice player of the week.
Despite his size (6’6″, 312 lbs), Zabel is incredibly athletic, notably pulling off a 36.5-inch vertical jump at the Senior Bowl. He has excelled as a run blocker, has good technique, and – most importantly – is versatile. It’s not entirely clear where the Colts will need to place any new offensive linemen, so a rookie like Zabel, who can play multiple positions, would be a huge benefit. He does have some areas where he could stand to improve, like blocking against the pass rush, but overall, he would be a great pick for the Colts – even if it doesn’t end up being in the first round.
