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INDIANAPOLIS The Colts 2025 rookie class got on the field Friday, but that wasn’t the real notable news from the rookie minicamp.

Shane Steichen added that defensive captain Zaire Franklin had an ankle “clean up” this past week, which is expected to sideline the linebacker until at least the start of training camp.

The loss of Franklin means the Colts will likely be down their top two linebackers (Jaylon Carlies is recovering from shoulder surgery) as Lou Anarumo installs his new defense this spring. Ideally, Franklin would have had this procedure done earlier in the offseason, but the decision was reached earlier this week, in hopes he will have multiple weeks/a month to ramp it up before the regular season begins.

While linebacker hasn’t been a huge position of high investment for Anarumo, the Colts will test the depth there this spring with a lot of inexperience.

What were the takeaways from the actual rookie minicamp on Friday?

-Tyler Warren’s first NFL rep in a 7-on-7 or 11-on-11 setting saw a reason why the Colts were enamored with the Penn State tight end. Fellow draft pick Riley Leonard locked eyes with Warren over the middle and not even a high throw kept No. 84 from going up and snagging it. The catch radius of Warren was on display. It was an active 7-on-7 day for the first-round pick. In 11-on-11 periods, a high fastball from Leonard was Warren’s only target, with that falling incomplete. The Colts kept the 11-on-11 starting reps to around a half dozen on Friday.

-The size and speed of running back D.J. Giddens was alive on Day 1, with him getting into the open field on a couple of occasions. The Colts are very high on the 5th round running back out of Kansas State.

-Will Riley Leonard get enough reps to tangibly improve as a thrower? That’s the big rookie question as Leonard definitely needs to fine tune his accuracy in transitioning to being more of a pocket quarterback in the NFL.

-Off-season wrist surgery for cornerback Justin Walley did not keep the third-round pick from competing on Friday. Walley lined up as an outside cornerback, with believe that he can play outside or inside at this level.

-So the Colts are now listing 7th round pick Hunter Wohler as a safety, not a linebacker. Depth at safety is by no means cemented, so Wohler having a chance to make the team there certainly exists. And dime linebacker possibilities with new defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo is looking for Wohler body types (6-2, 213).

-We have rookie jersey numbers (subject to change) handed out to the 2025 class. It’ll be No. 84 for Tyler Warren, with some Jack Doyle vibes in that number. Of course, Warren rocked No. 44 in college (along with second-round pick JT Tuimoloau), but Zaire Franklin has had that since his own rookie season in 2018. Warren said Franklin’s earned statuses in the NFL was part of why he didn’t heavily pursue trying to get his collegiate number. Tuimoloau will wear No. 91. The slick number of 21 will be what running back D.J. Giddens wears. And No. 15 remains a quarterback number, with Riley Leonard donning that.

The undrafted free agent class includes 15 names in 2025, with a few surprises. I wouldn’t have guessed 4 wide receivers in the class, yet no interior offensive linemen. Uncertain defensive depth slots at linebacker, safety and defensive tackle did get some undrafted attention. And a big-legged kicker is on the roster for a second straight year.