Likely Starter
CJ Allen is the cleanest projection to start right away. The Colts’ linebacker room is thin, and Akeem Davis-Gaither is the only player with meaningful previous starting experience. Jaylon Carlies has not carved out a consistent role, and there isn’t another obvious player blocking Allen from taking a major role. Allen also fits what the Colts need: a young, athletic linebacker with real production at Georgia. He led Georgia in tackles in 2025 and finished his college career with 205 tackles, 4.5
sacks and 10 pass deflections. That combination of opportunity and profile makes him the safest bet in the class to start.
Strong Chance to Start
A.J. Haulcy has the profile of a starter, but his path is more crowded than Allen’s. He’ll have to beat out Hunter Wohler, Juanyeh Thomas, Jonathan Owens and Nasir Adderley. That’s a lot of bodies, but none feel impossible to pass. Haulcy’s value comes from his versatility and hard-hitting tackling ability on the back end, which fits the type of flexible secondary piece Lou Anarumo likes to use. He’s probably the favorite to start, but the competition makes this less automatic than Allen.
Deion Burks is the wild card of the class. Normally, the last pick in the draft class wouldn’t be viewed as a serious starting candidate, but Burks is different. He had Day 2 grades from multiple public boards and fell much later than expected. His experience, coupled with great quickness and route running ability should help his transition to the NFL. His competition is not overwhelming either, with Ashton Dulin and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine standing in the way. If there are no hidden concerns that caused the fall (there is probably something), Burks could have one of the clearest paths to playing time of any Colts rookie.
Outside Chance
Bryce Boettcher has a better chance to start than a normal fourth-round linebacker because the position group is unsettled. If his direct competition is Davis-Gaither, then there’s at least a path. Davis-Gaither’s experience probably gives him the advantage early, but Boettcher should still see defensive reps and could push for a role if he proves reliable in coverage and special teams. He’s not the favorite, but he isn’t buried either.
Jalen Farmer’s path is more difficult. He is not beating out Quenton Nelson, so the real competition is Matt Goncalves. Goncalves has already established himself as a functional starter, which means Farmer would need to be clearly better to win the job. NFL.com noted that Farmer’s run blocking is ahead of his pass protection, which suggests he may need some development before being trusted as a full-time starter. He could become valuable depth quickly, but a 2026 starting job feels like an uphill battle.
Long Shot to Start
George Gumbs Jr. faces a tough depth chart. He is not starting over Laiatu Latu or Arden Key, and Michael Clemons likely sits ahead of him too. His best chance is carving out a rotational edge role and proving he can contribute on special teams. Starting in 2026 would probably require injuries or a major surprise.
Caden Curry is in a similar spot to Gumbs, though his experience in Ohio State’s defense may give him a small edge in terms of early readiness. Still, the path to starting is narrow. Latu, Key and Clemons are ahead of him, so Curry’s realistic rookie goal is earning rotational reps and building toward a bigger role later.
Seth McGowan is not starting over Jonathan Taylor under any realistic scenario. His opportunity is as a backup running back, where he can earn touches by proving he can pass protect, catch the ball and keep the offense functional when Taylor is off the field. That’s valuable, but it’s not a starting path.
Ranking the Best Chances to Start in 2026
- CJ Allen
- A.J. Haulcy
- Deion Burks
- Bryce Boettcher
- Jalen Farmer
- Caden Curry
- George Gumbs Jr.
- Seth McGowan
