A year ago, we here at Colts.com compiled 166 mock drafts from February through April – and only five of them correctly predicted the player the Colts picked in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, UCLA defensive end Laiatu Latu.
That's a 3 percent hit rate.
The players who were mocked to the Colts by the folks who waded into the second and third rounds were even more difficult to predict: No mock draft we aggregated had the Colts drafting Texas wide receiver Adonai Mitchell in the second round or Pitt tackle Matt Goncalves in the third round. One mock, though, did have the Colts taking Mitchell – but in the first round.
The point is mock drafts are hardly an exact science. NFL Drafts are extremely volatile; if one team does something seemingly out of the blue – like the Atlanta Falcons selecting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. with the No. 8 overall pick last year – it can have ripple effects through an entire draft, changing team strategies on the fly.
So maybe the best way to think about mock drafts is as an exercise in what could happen, not what will happen. If Team A does this, Team B does this, and then Team C does that. Since the Colts have the 14th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, there's plenty that can and will happen before they're on the clock that will impact who general manager Chris Ballard selects.
Mock Drafts, too, are valuable in just getting to know some of the names you'll see plenty over the next few months.
With that in mind, here's our first batch of mock drafts for 2025, and we'll continue compiling these every Monday through April 21 – the Monday before the NFL Draft in Green Bay, which will be here before you know it.
Pick (No. 22 overall, trade down with Los Angeles Chargers): Shavon Revel (CB, East Carolina)
Expert: Trevor Sikkema, Pro Football Focus
Date: Feb. 9
Pick: Tyler Warren (TE, Penn State)
Experts: Charles McDonald and Nate Tice, Yahoo Sports
Date: Jan. 29
Pick: Tyler Warren (TE, Penn State)
Experts: Nick Baumgardner and Scott Dochterman, The Athletic
Date: Jan. 28
The Indianapolis Colts hold the No. 14 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Check out photos of the top players experts are predicting the Colts will select in April.
Tyler Warren (TE, Penn State)
Penn State tight end Tyler Warren (44) pulls in a touchdown pass as Boise State safety Ty Benefield (0) defends during the second half of the Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football CFP quarterfinal game, Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Malaki Starks (S, Georgia)
FILE - Alabama wide receiver Malik Benson (11) misses a pass against Georgia defensive back Malaki Starks (24) during the first half of the Southeastern Conference championship NCAA college football game in Atlanta, Saturday, Dec. 2, 2023. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart, File)
Luther Burden III (WR, Mizzou)
Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden III (3) sprints past a Mississippi State defender with a first down pass reception during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, in Starkville, Miss. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Armand Membou (T/G, Mizzou)
Missouri offensive lineman Armand Membou (79) is escorted off the field after being ejected from the game during an NCAA college football game against Arkansas Friday, Nov. 24, 2023, in Fayetteville, Ark. (AP Photo/Michael Woods)
James Pearce Jr. (DE, Tennessee)
Tennessee defensive lineman James Pearce Jr. (27) against Arkansas during an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, in Fayetteville, Ark. (AP Photo/Michael Woods)
Nick Emmanwori (S, South Carolina)
South Carolina defensive back Nick Emmanwori (7) reacts during the first half of the Citrus Bowl NCAA college football game against Illinois, Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
Jahdae Barron (CB, Texas)
Texas defensive back Jahdae Barron (7) celebrates after making a big tackle against Arkansas during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in Fayetteville, Ark. (AP Photo/Michael Woods)
Shavon Revel (CB, East Carolina)
Kenneth Grant (DT, Michigan)
Michigan defensive lineman Kenneth Grant (78) warms up during the NCAA college football team's spring game in Ann Arbor, Mich., Saturday, April 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
