Steve Alford or Reggie Miller? Asking this in 2026 isn’t even a question. Miller is an icon, not just in Indiana but in the entire NBA. As silly of a question as it may seem, in 1987, it was a real debate. No one knew who Miller was and Alford was an Indiana icon in his own right having led the Hoosiers to an NCAA championship. The Indianapolis Colts have a chance to spark a similar debate when they are on the clock if Elijah Sarratt is available.
A lot can happen to make this a non-starter, but the
chances Sarratt is a Day 2 pick seems to be the consensus. The Colts are now rumored to be interested and are in definite need of a receiver to replace Michael Pittman Jr. In an eerily similar situation, a national championship winning player from Indiana University could be sitting there, but will the Colts pull the trigger?
Sarratt could be exactly what the doctor ordered; a possession receiver with strong hands who has a knack for getting open. Understanding his journey to the NFL Draft demonstrates he is willing to put in the work to improve his game. From unproven and unwanted to possible first selection by the Colts would make for some incredible headlines and stories. That alone might be enough for the Colts to make the move.
While name recognition shouldn’t be the only reason to draft Sarratt and would be rather short-sighted, it isn’t without merit. People love a good story, and there aren’t too many hotter names with Indiana ties. It isn’t like the Colts would be throwing away the pick on a novelty either. Sarratt has skills and appears to be the type of player, on and off the field, the Colts would love to get. A high character player with something to prove has Chris Ballard written all over it. He would fill a need and sell some tickets at the same time. A true win-win.
The draft is a crapshoot. Drafting the “sure-fire” player doesn’t always work out. While not ideal, plenty of players don’t pan out based on their potential or draft position. Because of that, what’s stopping the Colts from drafting Elijah Sarratt? The fit and the player are perfect for this organization. If he is there when the Colts are on the clock, it would be wise to turn in the card that reads “Alford”…er…I mean “Sarratt” and see if the future reads differently from the past.
