The Indianapolis Colts made a somewhat odd decision in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Still needing another linebacker, they took Oregon's Bryce Boettcher, even though he played the same role as CJ Allen, at least on paper, and Kyle Louis, a projected top-100 player, was still available.
Louis admittedly came with some positional questions, but Boettcher is far from a finished product. In fact, he can still decide to pursue a career in Major League Baseball after also being drafted by the Houston Astros.
All that said, and while the skepticism is more than valid, general manager Chris Ballard and defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo might be onto something here. Upon further review, Boettcher may actually be quite a valuable pick.
The Indianapolis Colts may have landed a true steal with Bryce Boettcher
Boettcher has extensive experience as a middle linebacker, thus making him redundant next to Allen. Nevertheless, given the lack of depth at the position, it's almost impossible to believe the Colts want him to be Allen's backup; that'd be an absolute waste of a selection.
Instead, they might want Boettcher's solid run-defense instincts and physicality by Allen's side. As a former walk-on, he's had to learn the ropes, adapt, adjust, and get better every single day, so he could and should be open to embracing a different challenge and slightly changing positions.
Production shouldn't be an issue with him. He's coming off logging 135 tackles in his final collegiate season, and he was the team's leader in tackles in 11 of the 15 games he played last season. Even if he's not the defensive quarterback or serves as Anarumo's Mike linebacker, he should still be able to put up similar numbers in a different role.
He's the type of guy who plays with a boulder on his shoulder the size of Wyoming, not only because he had to earn everything out of the mud, but also because he actively chose to pursue a career in a different sport right when he was knocking on the door of turning pro in another major league. Motivation will never be a concern with him.
Boettcher can also provide immediate value on special teams. He's a heat-seeking missile, and there's no stopping him once he sets his eyes on the bal-carrier, and he played nearly 600 special team snaps for the Ducks.
This will all be a matter of finding ways for him to coexist on the field with CJ Allen. On his own, he would be a true sleeper to outplay his draft stock almost right out of the gate, but with a fellow rookie teammate in the same spot, it was hard to understand the logic behind this selection. If they can successfully move him to a Sam linebacker role, however, it might be an entirely different story.