List of Indianapolis Colts first-round draft picks

This is a list of first-round draft picks made by the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League.

The Colts joined the NFL in 1953 where they participated in their first NFL Draft and selected Billy Vessels, a halfback from the University of Oklahoma. The team's most recent first round selection was Anthony Gonzalez, a wide receiver from Ohio State University in the 2007 NFL Draft.

Every year during April, each NFL franchise seeks to add new players to its roster through a collegiate draft officially known as "the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting" but more commonly known as the NFL Draft. Teams are ranked in inverse order based on the previous season's record, with the worst record picking first, and the second worst picking second and so on. The two exceptions to this order are made for teams that appeared in the previous Super Bowl; the Super Bowl champion "always" picks 32nd, and the Super Bowl loser "always" picks 31st. Teams have the option of trading away their picks to other teams for different picks, players, cash, or a combination thereof. Thus, it is not uncommon for a team's actual draft pick to differ from their assigned draft pick, or for a team to have extra or no draft picks in any round due to these trades. [cite web|url=http://football.about.com/od/miscinformation/a/detdraftorder.htm| last = Alder | first = James | title = "NFL Draft Basics:Determining Order of Selection" | work = football.about.com | accessdate=2008-01-14]

The Colts have selected the number one overall pick in the draft on six separate occasions, one of which was used to select Super Bowl XLI MVP Peyton Manning. They have also selected the second overall pick five times and the third overall pick twice. The team's five selections from Ohio State University are the most chosen by the Colts from one university.

Player selections

{| class="wikitable"
-! colspan="2" | Draft! rowspan="2" style="width:11em" | Player name! rowspan="2" | Position! rowspan="2" | College! rowspan="2" | Notes
-! Year! Pick
-! colspan="6" align="center" | National Football League, Early Era (1953–1969)
-! colspan="6" align="center" style="background: #003b7b;"| Baltimore Colts (1953-1983)
-! align="center" | 1953
align="center" | 2
Billy Vessels
HB
Oklahoma
align="center" | [Billy Vessels was the first draft pick in the history of the Colts.]
-! align="center" | 1954
align="center" | 5
Cotton Davidson
QB
Baylor
align="center" |
-! rowspan="2" align="center" | 1955
align="center" style="background-color: #DDFFDD;" | 1
style="background-color: #DDFFDD;" | George Shaw
style="background-color: #DDFFDD;" | QB
style="background-color: #DDFFDD;" | Oregon
align="center" | [Lottery bonus pick.]
-
align="center" | 3
Alan Ameche
FB
Wisconsin
align="center"
-! align="center" | 1956
align="center" | 9
style="background-color: #FFCCCC;" | Lenny Moore
HB
Penn State
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 1957
align="center" | 8
style="background-color: #FFCCCC;" | Jim Parker
G
Ohio State
align="center"
-! align="center" | 1958
align="center" | 11
Lenny Lyles
CB
Louisvile
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 1959
align="center" | 12
Jackie Burkett
C
Auburn
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 1960
align="center" | 10
style="background-color: #FFCCCC;" | Ron Mix
OT
Southern California
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 1961
align="center" | 7
Tom Matte
RB
Ohio State
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 1962
align="center" | 9
Wendell Harris
CB
Louisiana State
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 1963
align="center" | 5
Bob Vogel
OT
Ohio State
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 1964
align="center" | 8
Marv Woodson
S
Indiana
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 1965
align="center" | 14
Mike Curtis
LB
Duke
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 1966
align="center" | 15
Sam Ball
OT
Kentucky
align="center" |
-! rowspan="2" align="center" | 1967
align="center" style="background-color: #DDFFDD;" | 1
style="background-color: #DDFFDD;" | Bubba Smith
style="background-color: #DDFFDD;" | DE
style="background-color: #DDFFDD;" | Michigan State
align="center" | [Acquired from the New Orleans Saints - [http://www.profootballhof.com/history/release.jsp?release_id=1463 Pro Football Draft History 1967] ]
-
align="center" | 20
Jim Detwiler
HB
Michigan
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 1968
align="center" | 23
John Williams
OT
Minnesota
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 1969
align="center" | 25
Eddie Hinton
WR
Oklahoma
align="center" |
-! colspan="6" align="center" | Modern Era (1970–present)
-! align="center" | 1970
align="center" | 18
Norm Bulaich
RB
Texas Christian
align="center" |
-! rowspan="2" align="center" | 1971
align="center" | 22
Don McCauley
RB
North Carolina
align="center" | [Acquired from the Miami Dolphins - [http://www.profootballhof.com/history/general/draft/1971.jsp Pro Football Draft History 1971] ]
-
align="center" | 26
Leonard Dunlap
CB
North Texas
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 1972
align="center" | 22
Tom Drougas
OT
Oregon
align="center" |
-! rowspan="2" align="center" | 1973
align="center" | 2
Bert Jones
QB
Louisiana State
align="center" | [Acquired from the San Diego Chargers - [http://www.profootballhof.com/history/general/draft/1973.jsp Pro Football Draft History 1973] ]
-
align="center" | 10
Joe Ehrmann
DT
Syracuse
align="center" |
-! rowspan="2" align="center" | 1974
align="center" | 5
John Dutton
DT
Nebraska
align="center" |
-
align="center" | 24
Roger Carr
WR
Louisiana Tech
align="center" | [Acquired from the Los Angeles Rams - [http://www.profootballhof.com/history/general/draft/1974.jsp Pro Football Draft History 1974] ]
-! align="center" | 1975
align="center" | 3
Ken Huff
G
North Carolina
align="center" | [Acquired from the Atlanta Falcons - [http://www.profootballhof.com/history/general/draft/1975.jsp Pro Football Draft History 1975] ]
-! align="center" | 1976
align="center" | 20
Ken Novak
DT
Purdue
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 1977
align="center" | 26
Randy Burke
WR
Kentucky
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 1978
align="center" | 25
Reese McCall
TE
Auburn
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 1979
align="center" | 6
Barry Krauss
LB
Alabama
align="center" |
-! rowspan="2" align="center" | 1980
align="center" | 5
Curtis Dickey
RB
Texas A&M
align="center" |
-
align="center" | 24
Derrick Hatchett
CB
Texas
align="center" | [Acquired from the Dallas Cowboys - [http://www.profootballhof.com/history/general/draft/1980.jsp Pro Football Draft History 1980] ]
-! rowspan="2" align="center" | 1981
align="center" | 12
Randy McMillan
RB
Pittsburgh
align="center" |
-
align="center" | 18
Donnell Thompson
DE
North Carolina
align="center" | [Acquired from the Minnesota Vikings - [http://www.profootballhof.com/history/general/draft/1981.jsp Pro Football Draft History 1981] ]
-! rowspan="2" align="center" | 1982
align="center" | 2
Johnie Cooks
LB
Mississippi State
align="center" |
-
align="center" | 4
Art Schlichter
QB
Ohio State
align="center" | [Acquired from the Los Angeles Rams - [http://www.profootballhof.com/history/general/draft/1982.jsp Pro Football Draft History 1982] ]
-! align="center" | 1983
align="center" style="background-color: #DDFFDD;" | 1
style="background-color: #FFCCCC;" | John Elway
style="background-color: #DDFFDD;" | QB
style="background-color: #DDFFDD;" | Stanford
align="center" | [Traded Elway to the Denver Broncos for QB Mark Herrmann, rights to OL Chris Hinton and a first-round pick in the 1984 NFL Draft. - [http://www.sportingnews.com/archives/elway/article9.html A 'true test' for Elway] ]
-! colspan="6" align="center" style="background: #003b7b;"| Indianapolis Colts (1984-present)
-! rowspan="2" align="center" | 1984
align="center" | 8
Leonard Coleman
CB
Vanderbilt
align="center" |
-
align="center" | 19
Ron Solt
G
Maryland
align="center" | [From Denver Broncos in Elway trade]
-! align="center" | 1985
align="center" | 5
Duane Bickett
LB
Southern California
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 1986
align="center" | 4
Jon Hand
DE
Alabama
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 1987
align="center" | 2
Cornelius Bennett
LB
Alabama
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 1988
colspan="4" align="center" valign="middle" | "No first-round draft pick"
align="center" | [The Colts traded their #20 overall pick to the Los Angeles Rams - [http://www.profootballhof.com/history/general/draft/1988.jsp Pro Football Draft History 1988] ]
-! align="center" | 1989
align="center" | 22
Andre Rison
WR
Michigan State
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 1990
align="center" style="background-color: #DDFFDD;" | 1
style="background-color: #DDFFDD;" | Jeff George
style="background-color: #DDFFDD;" | QB
style="background-color: #DDFFDD;" | Illinois
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 1991
colspan="4" align="center" valign="middle" | "No first-round draft pick"
align="center" | [The Colts traded their #13 overall pick to the Atlanta Falcons - [http://www.profootballhof.com/history/general/draft/1991.jsp Pro Football Draft History 1991] ]
-! rowspan="2" align="center" | 1992
align="center" style="background-color: #DDFFDD;" | 1
style="background-color: #DDFFDD;" | Steve Emtman
style="background-color: #DDFFDD;" | DE
style="background-color: #DDFFDD;" | Washington
align="center" |
-
align="center" | 2
Quentin Coryatt
LB
Texas A&M
align="center" | [Acquired from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers - [http://www.profootballhof.com/history/general/draft/1992.jsp Pro Football Draft History 1992] ]
-! align="center" | 1993
align="center" | 16
Sean Dawkins
WR
California
align="center" |
-! rowspan="2" align="center" | 1994
align="center" | 2
Marshall Faulk
RB
San Diego State
align="center" |
-
align="center" | 5
Trev Alberts
LB
Nebraska
align="center" | [Acquired from the Los Angeles Rams - [http://www.profootballhof.com/history/general/draft/1994.jsp Pro Football Draft History 1994] ]
-! align="center" | 1995
align="center" | 15
Ellis Johnson
DT
Florida
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 1996
align="center" | 19
Marvin Harrison
WR
Syracuse
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 1997
align="center" | 19
Tarik Glenn
OT
California
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 1998
align="center" style="background-color: #DDFFDD;" | 1
style="background-color: #DDFFDD;" | Peyton Manning
style="background-color: #DDFFDD;" | QB
style="background-color: #DDFFDD;" | Tennessee
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 1999
align="center" | 4
Edgerrin James
RB
Miami (FL)
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 2000
align="center" | 28
Rob Morris
LB
Brigham Young
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 2001
align="center" | 30
Reggie Wayne
WR
Miami (FL)
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 2002
align="center" | 11
Dwight Freeney
DE
Syracuse
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 2003
align="center" | 24
Dallas Clark
TE
Iowa
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 2004
colspan="4" align="center" valign="middle" | "No first-round draft pick"
align="center" | [The Colts traded their #29 overall pick to the Atlanta Falcons - [http://www.profootballhof.com/history/general/draft/2004.jsp Pro Football Draft History 2004] ]
-! align="center" | 2005
align="center" | 29
Marlin Jackson
CB
Michigan
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 2006
align="center" | 30
Joseph Addai
RB
Louisiana State
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 2007
align="center" | 32
Anthony Gonzalez
WR
Ohio State
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 2008
colspan="4" align="center" valign="middle" | "No first-round draft pick"
align="center" | [The Colts traded their 1st round pick (29th overall) to the San Francisco 49ers]
-

Footnotes

References

*
*
*
*
*