It's very early in the 2026 season, but following a disappointing Week 1 performance against the Ravens, the Indianapolis Colts are among the teams with the best chances to secure a top-10 pick in the 2027 NFL Draft, according to ESPN.
However, the issue here is that the Colts' 2027 first-round pick belongs to the New York Jets.
ESPN's Football Power Index model simulated the rest of the 2026 season 10,000 times, with end-of-season records and average draft order based on what the FPI projected.
The Colts' average draft position was 11.6 overall. Indianapolis has a 53% chance of earning a top-10 selection, which is the seventh-highest rate of any team. The FPI prediction also gives the Colts a 23% chance at a top-five pick and a three percent chance at the No.
1 overall pick.
But again, that is all a moot point with the Jets holding the Colts' first-round selection.
That pick was, of course, traded last season as part of a deal for cornerback Sauce Gardner. It was a bold play by GM Chris Ballard after the Colts were off to a red-hot start, but it has since backfired.
All that said, there is still plenty of time for things to turn around, but if the season goes poorly, the Colts won't even be in a position to capitalize on that by landing a top prospect in the upcoming draft.
This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: ESPN projects Colts 2027 draft position after Week 1 but there's a problem
