Highly athletic linebacker draft prospect has met with Colts
· Yahoo Sports
In need of linebacker help in the 2026 NFL draft, Louisiana's Jaden Dugger appears to be on the Indianapolis Colts' radar.
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In an interview with Sports Illustrated's Justin Melo, Dugger said he has had a meeting with the Colts, among other teams. Whether this was an in-person meeting or virtual was unclear.
Let's take a closer look at what Dugger could bring to the Colts.
Colts 2026 NFL draft prospect to watch: LB Jaden Dugger
Dugger has played over 2,000 career snaps, spending the last two seasons at Louisiana. Before that, he played at FCS Georgetown, where Dugger was a safety.
Dugger saw significantly more playing time in 2025 compared to 2024, posting 12 quarterback pressures and four sacks as a blitzer, according to PFF. In coverage, he held opponents to 9.0 yards per catch, while coming away with one interception and one pass breakup. He recorded 125 total tackles as well.
Dugger has played 368 special teams snaps over four seasons, regularly playing on four of the six phases.
Jaden Dugger's athletic profile
Jaden Dugger is a LB prospect in the 2026 draft class. He scored a 9.60 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 139 out of 3460 LB from 1987 to 2026.
— RAS.football (@MathBomb) April 6, 2026
Correcting the school.https://t.co/Mgy62Hz3Yhpic.twitter.com/ZNMOJBg66t
What kind of impact can Jaden Dugger make in the NFL?
To wrap up the interview, Melo asked Dugger why a team should use one of their draft picks on him:
"I think I have the most upside of any player in this draft," Dugger said. "This is the worst I’m ever going to be and I’m still making plays compared to guys who are supposed to be the top players in this class. I’m only going to get better. I feel like I’ve proven myself. I love competing. I have the intangibles you can’t teach. The ball is in their court at this point. We’ll see how those 32 teams feel about me."
What is the Colts' need at linebacker in the NFL draft?
Despite the addition of Akeem Davis-Gaither in free agency, there is still a significant lack of experience within this position group. Depth is needed, and more competition for playing time is needed. You name it, the Colts need it at linebacker. Relying on the current iteration of this room to make an impact comes with risks, given the lack of experience.
This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: 2026 NFL draft: Colts meet with Louisiana LB Jaden Dugger