The Indianapolis Colts went all in this offseason; all in on a key roster need in free agency and the NFL Draft: depth. Depth on offense, and especially, depth on defense, specifically their defensive line and linebackers, was clearly a strong point of reference for Chris Ballard and his staff.
Out of the eight draft picks the Colts had in their hands (minus a first-round pick given up for Sauce Gardner last season), Ballard selected five defensive players to two offensive ones. It was an expected series of decisions based on the needs the Colts had to address on defense.
One of those defensive picks was Ohio State defensive end Caden Curry. The now-former Buckeye was selected by the Colts with the 214th overall pick in the sixth round; that pick was acquired during the draft. The Colts liked Curry, as did Ballard, but what did his scouting report indicate?
The Athletic's Dane Brugler aligns with Indianapolis Colts' Chris Ballard on Caden Curry
Going into the draft, Ballard went on record stating how much he liked Curry's game, saying, "He's a really good, hard-playing football player." On the surface, that comment is, well, very surface-level, without much depth or context. Ballard, however, likely sees a lot more in Curry, but decided to keep it short and simple.
That's exactly who Curry is, though. He's a hard-playing, up-in-your-face football player. Not only is he a disciplined run defender and utilizes the spin move to get around his opposition with great effect, but Curry is also as physical as you can get, with intensity brimming inside, ready to unleash.
NFL writer Dane Brugler of The Athletic sees a lot of what Ballard saw in Curry, and his scouting report on the former Buckeye's player testifies in detail just how tough and physical Curry is, and hopefully will be for the Colts.
"Curry is a sawed-off, face-up pass rusher with a basic approach, but he plays alert and physical, and affects the game with his white-hot motor (his best attribute)," Brugler wrote. "He projects as a versatile NFL backup who can be moved up and down the line of scrimmage — reminiscent of John Simon, another former Ohio State edge defender."
It's the ‘white-hot motor’ that gives Curry an edge on the front lines, and it's also what makes him such a physical player to go up against. On top of that, and Brugler alluded to this as well, Curry's versatility might be his best attribute outside of his motor.
When primarily used as an edge at Ohio State, Curry showed that he can play in both even and odd fronts, and he often moved around the defensive line to create mismatches with the opposing offensive line. That is an advantage the Colts defense could benefit from, not to mention Curry also played over 600 snaps on special teams in four years in college; he can really play multiple roles well.
In his last season at Ohio State, in 2025, Curry had a breakout year, racking up 11 sacks, 38 pressures, 66 tackles (40 solo), including 16.5 tackles for loss, and one forced fumble in 14 games. He led the Buckeyes that season in sacks and tackles for loss on his way to earning first-team All-Big Ten and All-American honors.
Curry, while not expected to be a starter at his position, has a lot to offer the Colts on their defensive line. In a rotational or situational game plan, Curry might do his best damage. As long as the Colts use his versatility and athleticism to their advantage, there's no telling what sort of impact Curry can inject.