Locked On Colts - Daily Podcast On The Indianapolis Colts - A.J. HAULCY: Who is the Indianapolis Colts' Third-Round Pick, and How Does He Fit?

Starting point is 00:00:01 The Indianapolis Colts selected playmaking safety, AJ Halsey in the third round of the 2026 draft. We're going to give you all the info you need to know about this new player for the team. Let's get to it. You are Locked on Colts, your daily Indianapolis Colts podcast. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Welcome to Locked On Colts, part of the Lockdown Podcast Network. My name is Zach Hicks. That's Jake Arthur.

Starting point is 00:00:34 And today we are diving into yet another promising Colts. Rookie. This time we're talking about safety. AJ Halsey, the Colts second selection, their first one in the third round, or only one in the third round of the 2026 NFL draft. Halsey is one of Jake's favorite players in this draft, so I'm excited to give him the floor to talk even more about AJ Halsey. I haven't done it enough yet. Yeah, we've devoted multiple segments even before he was drafted by the Colts into this young player. But to give a little bit of background on Halsey before I kick it to Jake,

Starting point is 00:01:04 six foot, 215 pounds. That's what he came in at the combine. I know some places listed him around like 220, 225 at times this year. So his weight is somewhere in that bigger range for a strong safety in the modern NFL. Only 22 years old, but he's been starting since he was an 18-year-old true freshman over at New Mexico. He's averaged 87 tackles per year,

Starting point is 00:01:26 around four and a half tackles for a loss. And also 10 interceptions, this is total, not 10 receptions per year. He would have been much higher with draft pick if he had 10. per year. Ten picks total in his career, 19 past breakups, four force bumbles. And he also averages 20 yards per return on those 10 interceptions, which is impressive. In the offseason, he ran a four, five, two in the 40-yard dash, which is fine for his safety. And another really notable thing that I just like to mention with safeties is he was an all-conference player every single year of his career, or just about every year of his career. He is a three-time

Starting point is 00:02:00 all-conference player, right, in three different conferences, the Mountain West, the Big in the SEC. So he kept going to more prestigious conferences in earning bigger and bigger awards. And he topped it off this past year with the first team All-American Award in 2025 for his play at LSU. Played all over the defense at LSU.

Starting point is 00:02:20 I guess everywhere, he's played all over the defense. 1,883 career snaps of free safety, 1,057 in the box, 369 in the slot. So, I mean, this is a do-it-all guy. He's been doing it since he was 18 years old. And at the college level,

Starting point is 00:02:34 he's been gaining in prestige everywhere he's gone, and he topped it off with a really strong season in his final year of play, Jake. So, I mean, on paper, there's a lot to like with this young player. And even off paper, you liked them even more on film. Yeah, he's a guy where if he had any sort of elite measurables, whether it was size or athleticism, I think he goes even higher than he does. But this was kind of just a crowded safety group this year, kind of a pick your favorite flavor type of situation.

Starting point is 00:03:04 But the thing that jumps out to me first is just his comfort level and like his instincts. You know what I mean? It's very apparent to see those right away. He just plays so free and again confidently. And every play he makes just looks so natural and easy. The interceptions, those 10 career interceptions, very few of those are gimmies. Like you see him making the plays, like breaking on things over the middle of the field. and like reading the quarterback, like reading the route concepts and seeing what's coming before

Starting point is 00:03:35 it actually happens. So the guy's just an incredibly heady player. And he's an enforcer. Like he's again, like you said, he's big and stocky for the safety position. And he hits exactly like you would want him to as far as the physical nature of it. Now the accuracy, we got to work on that one a little bit, AJ. We've got to wrap up a little bit. But there's just so much to like about that.

Starting point is 00:03:58 Like I know Colts fans and they are going to. to fall in love with this guy in no time because everyone has just been longing for the days of Bob Sanders and Antoine, but they, and it's been a really long time since they've had a safety of that nature that's just like so good. Like Cam Bynham, I think he's a very, very good safety as well, and it's probably been the first like pro bowl level safety the Colts have had in a while, but AJ Halsey's ceiling is so high. You know, he's just so very smart. He's got such natural ball skills. again, he's physical, he's a tone setter. There's so much to like.

Starting point is 00:04:34 I mean, I'm sure most of us saw the clip by now that the Colts posted on socials of all the defensive coaches during the draft in the defensive room, like just celebrating that they got Halsey after getting CJ Allen. And I think the excitement level in that building, especially for what they could do on defense, like after adding Halsey, just it's so impressive. Like I think they're finally feeling like they get a break after all the injuries they dealt with last year about, oh, my God, look, we got these two guys that we really set our sights on. Look what we'll be able to do now. I mean, the Colts, they, I don't think they were able to be as dynamic at safety as they wanted to be last year.

Starting point is 00:05:19 You had some, you probably, there were some guys that I think they wanted to have in kind of specialized roles. But now, really, the thing is they just want to have their two starting safety. be capable of not having to leave the field because they could play low or high. And they definitely feel like they have that now with Halsey. And they already had that comfort level with Cam Bynum. So I think they checked off a very important box for them when they drafted him. Yeah. And the first thing that pops to me when I watch Halsey's film is just the word urgency.

Starting point is 00:05:50 Like he plays the position with so much urgency for better or for worse, right? There are some moments where it's a little too much urgency. but he's not a passive player in any regard, right? Whether it's in past coverage where he'll be the single high safety and he's understanding that they're trying to do a crossing route and he'll just drive down with great explosiveness, great speed to take away that crossing route, whether it is coming down and fitting in the run game,

Starting point is 00:06:15 whether it's, you know, baiting a quarterback to a throw over the middle of the field and then breaking on the ball, there's urgency in this game. There's nothing passive about what he does. He doesn't just let things happen in front of him. he's going to throw his body at it. He's going to throw his hands in there. He's going to do everything he can to make a play on the football. And while there, again, there is some hit or miss with that.

Starting point is 00:06:35 I do respect the player who wants to be assertive from that safety position, right? He's not going to let guys just catch the ball in front of him and then make a tackle. He's going to throw his arms in there. He's going to do what he can to make sure that he is being disruptive on the back end. And I think getting that at strong safety is very valuable for this Colts team. I think he's also exceptional. it's a split field safety and also in that low hole. So when he's down and like cover one robber stuff and he's robbing the middle of the field

Starting point is 00:07:02 or he's the whole defender, I think he's exceptional. And I think guys, as a split field safety over the top where him and Biden him each have half a field, I think that he excels on the boundary side, like the shorter side of the field. He's really good at recognizing those high, low concepts coming his side or or recognizing like, hey, they're trying to throw this this deep post route over the top to me, knowing how to open his hips and where to be with that. So there are some limitations in his game and there's a reason why he fell to round three.

Starting point is 00:07:29 But getting an assertive safety with true playmaking and some thump in the run game as well, I think there are a lot of things to develop here with this young player. Like you said, we need to get him wrapping up and being a little bit more controlled with his tackling. That's probably my biggest concern watching on film. His eyes can also be a little bit too over-eager sometimes, which I said like urgency, but sometimes too urgent. That's where you get with him. but overall, as long as he can just, you know, get in the lab and focus on wrapping up tackle,

Starting point is 00:07:57 coming with the shoulders first and a square base as he's going for his tackling, I think this should be a really impactful rookie season for him. Even if it's like with CJ Allen, right, you get this great baseline. I think CJ Allen's going to be like a B player all season long, right? Where Hall C, each game is going to be either A or D or D or, right? It's going to be kind of that volatility. But I think the counting stats are going to look good for him by the end of the season, right? He's going to be involved in a lot of tackles.

Starting point is 00:08:24 He's going to have a handful of pass breakups, maybe a couple interceptions. Like, it's going to look like a really great season. And then from there, it's just continually growing and ironing out those low moments. So I don't expect it to be as good a season on film as CJ Allen's, but I think it's going to be very impactful for how he gets his hands on the football and takes the ball away. Yeah, without question. I mean, I do hope we'll talk about it in a minute, but I do hope it gets the opportunity to start right away because he's the guy you just

Starting point is 00:08:52 want him to log a bunch of reps and like just be in the background like watching film and studying with the veterans and letting Lou Anirumo and like Jerome Henderson and Chris be in his ear and kind of guiding him because I think that'll get him such a long way. Yeah, absolutely. And coming up, we are going to talk about his fit in this colds defense. Does he start year one? We can also talk a little pro coms, right? We can make that kind of the recurring thing to start off the second segment. So we're going to talk about all that to close out today's mini episode. The NFL draft is in the bag, but we're still talking about it. It's where preparation meets opportunity and every decision matters.

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Starting point is 00:10:02 That's r ug, IET.com slash locked on NFL for 15% off. Ruggiette, performance medicine for men. All right, welcome back, everybody. We are continuing our little deep dive into Colts third round pick, AJ Halsey here. So safe to say, Zach, safety was a very large point of emphasis. for the goals this off season. They got about a dozen dudes at the position coming into the offseason Cam Biden was the only one who wasn't in some sort of limbo.

Starting point is 00:10:35 And then they go, they had Juanier Thomas. They had Jonathan Owens, Hunter Woller coming back. Nasir Adderley. Nasir Adderley recently. Yeah, like they're coming from everywhere, basically. But then they finally hit this home run of someone. They very clearly had their eye on all along with A.J. Halsey. But still, it's, I mean,

Starting point is 00:10:54 I don't think the job is just going to be given to him. I think they would like him to win the job, but he's got some guys to compete with there. So just knowing what you know about the other competitors and everything and with how much they really like Hunter Wooler, do you think he starts right away? Like how do you think the pecking order falls outside of Camp Byno? Yeah, I think he should start right away.

Starting point is 00:11:15 I don't really see any reason for him not to because, you know, I know some people will throw back and say, hey, like when Nick Cross came out, for instance, the Colts didn't start him right away. They tried and then they went to Rodney McLeod instead. And sometimes with rookies, it takes that learning curve. But the thing with Cross, I think Cross was a two-year starter at Maryland and was still kind of getting his feet wet. Right, he was 20. But when it comes to Halsey, I mean, he's been starting since he was 18 years old.

Starting point is 00:11:40 I know it's at the college level, but he's been on the field a lot in his entire college career. He's played a lot of football. So I think this is a guy that they view as NFL ready, especially with his eyes and his ability and coverage. So I don't see a world where he's not starting this year outside of a camp injury, which, you know, knock on wood, but that doesn't happen. But I do assume he's going to be the starting strong safety out the gate for the Colts. Now, I think the bigger question is, what does their three safety personnel package look like this next year? Because last year, Rodney Thomas would come in and we would have Nick Cross moved down all the way to like the star position and Cam Bynum play some strong safety. So I want to get your thoughts on this, Jake, because I think it's going to be, uh, camp,

Starting point is 00:12:22 a cam bindam stays at free safety, Halsey stays at strong safety in these three safety sets. And then Woler comes in as that star position. I don't think they're going to move Halsey super close to the line on those. I think Woler they trust more in that. But what are your thoughts? Because again, I think we both think he's going to start. But the three safety set is probably the more interesting part of this, if we're talking about how he's used in year one.

Starting point is 00:12:43 Yeah. How the Colts had to operate out of circumstance last year was Bynum and Cross both played 1100 snaps. like easily far and away your biggest, your biggest pieces there. The next closest was Rodney Thomas at 150 snaps, and then that was about it. The rest of anyone else who played safety, like Trey Washington,

Starting point is 00:13:03 Daniel Scott, they played latent games and blowouts like Tennessee, the Raiders, those games, you know, so it hardly counts. I think it will be a little different this year, just given health, and I think you're exactly right. They really want Hunter Wooler involved,

Starting point is 00:13:19 but if AJ Halsey is starting, the way to get him involved is to kind of flip it, let Waller come down and be, you know, the guy close to the box is the dime linebacker, and then you let Halsey and, you let Halsey and,

Starting point is 00:13:33 Cambine him kind of be the safeties. I do think they'll mix it up a little bit. But yeah, I think in the mad scientist's brain, of course, of Lou Anorumo, that Hunter Wooller is kind of the X factor that comes in and is the guy,

Starting point is 00:13:49 that they kind of tweak with a little bit. Bynum is obviously has some flexibility in what he can do. Bynum could kind of play the slot as well. And then Halsey, like you mentioned at the very top, he's got plenty of experience everywhere. He's got a strong safety's build, but he also has the free safety ball skills and range as well. So I think between Bynum and Halsey,

Starting point is 00:14:12 they'll move them around more in the back half a little bit with Woller being closer to the line of scrimmage. But it's interesting, whatever they can do. What I do have a strong feeling about is there's going to be a lot of stuff with Mooney Ward and Sauce on the boundary that creates opportunities for Bynum and Halsey to just feast on robbing guys over the middle. I think that is going to be the most common mode of interception for the Colts is going to be those safeties picking things off over the middle of the field.

Starting point is 00:14:46 Yeah, I mean, I hope so for sure. And I kind of gave my prediction on, or I guess my expectation for him as a rookie in the first segment. Like if he stays healthy, I think it'll be kind of a volatile rookie season for him. But I think we'll see the ball skills really show out and him come away with a pretty healthy, like, counting total. But what are your kind of expectations for him in this rookie season with the goals? Are you a little bit higher on like the volatility than I am? Or are you kind of in the same thought as I am with that? No, I think that's true.

Starting point is 00:15:12 Like I think one thing that definitely works in his favor is he's so smart and instinct. like he's just a natural football player. He doesn't have to work at this thing too hard. Like he understands the game. Now the NFL is a different beast, but it is the next natural progression in where he's been again, New Mexico, Houston, LSU, now the NFL.

Starting point is 00:15:33 I do expect him to be mostly successful this year, but with bumps. He plays so freely that it can be reckless at times. And I think he's going to have to see quickly that it's not always going to fly in the NFL. I mean, it's going to take time for him to like understand what NFL offenses are doing. So I do think it would be pretty volatile, but it will also be very clear that he is a huge part of their defensive future. You know, now it's also, again, this was kind of a star studded safety group in this draft.

Starting point is 00:16:07 So I don't think he'll be like all rookie team or anything like that because obviously you have the enemy and you have downs. You have Emmanuel McNeill Warren. but I think he will be a big time standout player that most people acknowledge it was a good pick by the Colts. Yeah, no, I agree there. And before we get out of here, though, Jake, let's talk some potential pro comps for him. Because again, this is what sells. You know, this is what sells to the people here.

Starting point is 00:16:29 I will say, I kind of, I get where you were coming with in the indie draft guide. I think you comped him to Gibral Peppers in there. And I get where you were coming from because of like shorter guy with that kind of like thick build that also thumps. So I totally get it. But a lot of where I was coming from looking at my comps forum were more so the playmaking ability. That too. I mean, I consider that as well because Gibral Pepper's even go back to college, well-known big-time playmaker.

Starting point is 00:16:56 It felt like more in college, though, for Peppers. Because you know really they tried to move them more to like linebacker in the NFL. And it was weird. You can never really find his true footing in the NFL. So I think like more of my like level-headed comp was like a Cam Curl type player where Cam Curl was always very productive in the ball. as a ball hawk and that bigger build and you know maybe not the craziest range ever but like a very good strong safety type that's kind of where i came away with with halsey as like my mid-level comp and then if you're getting like you know more excited you know like he actually is built very similar

Starting point is 00:17:28 to kevin byard uh in a lot of ways like they're both of 215 plus and they don't win with like crazy speed or range but they have these incredible ball skills uh so he's more of a thumper than byard was and byard's got more of a feel in the deep in the deep middle game And then the big one that all Colts fans are saying, right? And you've already brought up his name quite a bit on this show, Antoine Bethay. That's the one a lot of Colts fans are seeing. He's a little bit bigger than Bethay, but I kind of – Playstyle is similar.

Starting point is 00:17:57 Right. I kind of get it. So what are your thoughts on comps there? I know I threw out a bunch of names there, but like a Cam Curl, like Bayard type is where I'm kind of settling. But do you think Bethay is a pretty good one as well? Yeah. So I do think he has that natural eye for the ball. and like play recognition that buyer does.

Starting point is 00:18:15 I think that's good. Frame and like usage, how I've seen him use before, Peppers, when he's used as a safety, because I think by now Peppers is kind of a journeyman and he's done a lot of different things. And I kind of rewound to Michigan as well for him.

Starting point is 00:18:33 But yeah, so Bthet, especially when he was younger, very physical player, like his rookie year was the Super Bowl year against the Bears. So very physical player came up. up with really big plays in the back half, but played more in the back half because Bob Sanders was the strong safety. So in terms of the physical nature and just like, again, the smarts,

Starting point is 00:18:58 I see that with Bethay because he was kind of a total package type of guy. But I think it's hard to find a one for one comparison of him. I had to think of a lot of different guys. And you can't say like in an indie draft guide you can't say well he reminds me of like xx x xx like yeah i kind of limited you guys i limited you guys because i couldn't have too long of an answer so you couldn't be like jerbil peppers but with better range because that wouldn't fit in my my graphic design vj pain vj pain i called him t j green but good that was because it's a short name plus but good like it has to be really short that's just you know my graphic design in here but yes i had to limit you just do gibreel pepers and that was it that was too long of

Starting point is 00:19:39 a name right there. I do like if I had to boil it down to one of like a modern player like a more physical Kevin Byard. I like that. Yeah. That's kind of like it's like a more physical but not as ranged but like a Kevin Byard. You know like I think the vibes fit with that one. Byers kind of smart and you know that's always like my best trait in a safety is how like instinctual and smart they are. A Bayard at what like 30 something. I think he's like early 30s last year led the NFL on interceptions. Right. And that's like I kind of see that. first time either. Yeah, and I kind of see that with Halsey where like Halsey, when he gets these picks, it's not because he's the fastest guy in the field. It's just he's understanding what,

Starting point is 00:20:16 what offenses want to do, and he puts himself in the right place. And I think that's where I see the comparison the most with those two guys, though. But that is all we have for this breakdown of AJ Halsey. Don't worry. We'll have plenty more on AJ Halsey in future episodes. You think we can go more than one episode without talking AJ Halsey on this show? We'll talk about him a ton this off season. So if you want to see more of that content in the future, tune in more to Lockdown Colts going forward. Maybe you'll describe and get all the latest episodes. And if you don't already, follow at Lockdown Colts at Jake Arthur Nifel and at Zach Hicks to all on socials. And don't forget

Starting point is 00:20:49 to check out the everyday club for ad-free episodes and access to a group chat with me, Jake, and other listeners of the show. Tap the link in the show notes or go to Lockdowncultz. com. Thank you all for tuning. We'll catch you guys back here tomorrow afternoon.

Locked On Colts - Daily Podcast On The Indianapolis Colts - A.J. HAULCY: Who is the Indianapolis Colts' Third-Round Pick, and How Does He Fit?

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