The Indianapolis Colts put together a strong performance in the 2026 NFL Draft. Chris Ballard and company were able to bring in some great talent to beef up the roster for the upcoming season.
One pick has drawn some attention in particular.
With the No. 237 overall pick in the seventh round of the draft, the Colts opted to take Kentucky running back Seth McGowan. His criminal history has been documented and could have been a cause for concern around the league.
As shared by James Boyd of The Athletic, McGowan was charged with robbery, conspiracy, and assault and batter with a dangerous weapon back in 2021. He pled guilty to larceny of a person at a nighttime, which resulted in him spending three months in jail.
Keeping that in mind, Ballard was asked about McGowan. He made his thoughts on the running back’s criminal history clear.
“Look, I’m a second chance guy,” Ballard said.
GM Chris Ballard: “Look, I’m a second chance guy. …”
What Does Seth McGown Bring to the Colts?
Despite the off the field issues, McGowan was clearly a player that Indianapolis wanted. He put together a strong three-year college football career, playing one season at Oklahoma, one at New Mexico State, and one at Kentucky.
Last season with the Wildcats, McGowan carried the football 165 times for 725 yards and 12 touchdowns. In addition, he caught 19 passes for 126 yards.
Across all three of his college seasons, the running back totaled 1,918 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns on 375 carries, averaging 5.1 yards per attempt. He also racked up 55 catches for 604 yards and four more scores.
His production was intriguing enough for an NFL team to draft him despite his legal issues. Now, he’ll be given a chance to earn a roster spot during training camp and preseason action.
Chris Ballard’s Draft Class Should Excite Indianapolis
Even though the Colts did not have a first-round pick, they came out of the draft looking much-improved.
In the second round, Indianapolis was able to land a steal in Georgia linebacker C.J. Allen. They followed that pick up by selecting LSU safety A.J. Haulcy in the third round.
On Day 3 of the NFL Draft, the Colts brought in quite a bit more talent. In order, they selected Kentucky guard Jalen Farmer in the fourth round, Florida pass rusher George Gumbs Jr. in the fifth round, Ohio State pass rusher Caden Curry in the sixth round, and both McGowan and Oklahoma wideout Deion Burks in the seventh round.
It will be interesting to see which of the rookies is able to make the roster and become a part of the team.
McGowan is facing an uphill battle to make the team. However, it’s clear that Ballard and the front office think quite highly of the rookie running back’s skill-set.
Colts GM Gets Honest About Draft Pick’s Criminal History