With the 2026 NFL Draft now complete, teams now have a pretty good idea of what their rosters will look like for the season. Rookies have been added, and the majority of veterans have as well. Of course, trades and additional signings will still happen, but for the most part, teams know where they are strong and where they are weak.
ESPN analyst Aaron Schatz recently tried to identify where each team was weak. In a piece highlighting the biggest roster hole for all 32 teams following the draft, Schatz focused on the wide receiver position for the Indianapolis Colts. Schatz acknowledged the new contract for Alec Pierce, but says Indianapolis “forgot to get a good receiver to play across from him.”
The analyst didn’t overlook what Tyler Warren and Josh Downs will contribute to the offense, but he questioned if anyone will emerge in Indy as a legit second outside receiver. The one thing Schatz said that would be a best-case scenario for the team is that “Seventh-rounder Deion Burks could play a role.”
Wide receiver named the Indianapolis Colts biggest roster hole, but Deion Burks could be a solution
Indianapolis made eight picks in the 2026 Draft, and Burks was the team’s final pick. While he was selected in the seventh round, he will have an immediate opportunity to emerge as a contributor because of the uncertainty in the wide receiver room outside of Alec Pierce and Josh Downs.
Burks doesn’t have the physical profile of a typical outside receiver, at 5-foot-9, 180 pounds, but he has impressive athleticism that helps him overcome his stature. At the Scouting Combine, held at Burks’ new home, the receiver ran a 4.3 40-yard dash, recorded a 42.5-inch vertical jump, a 10-foot-11 broad jump, and put up 26 reps on the bench press.
That explosiveness and speed helped him catch 151 passes for 1,669 yards and 14 touchdowns in 48 games in college. He’ll now try to deliver for the Colts, where he’ll have the chance to establish himself as a late-round gem.
With the wide receiver depth chart wide open after Alec Pierce and Josh Downs, the seventh-round Deion Burks could be the answer Indianapolis is looking for in the wide receiver room.
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