Safety isn’t usually a position that generates a ton of hype in the NFL Draft. That wasn’t the case this year—Ohio State’s Caleb Downs was Bleacher Report’s top-ranked prospect overall. But there was no explosion of enthusiasm when the Indianapolis Colts selected LSU’s A.J. Haulcy in Round 3.
With that said, there’s plenty for Colts fans to be exited about with the 6’0″, 215-pounder.
Per Paul Bretl of Colts Wire, Indianapolis safety Cam Bynum said that Haulcy is already seeing quite a few reps with the first-team.
“What he’s been doing so far, learning the defense, sitting next to me in film, I’m able to get a lot of knowledge from him, vice versa, I’m able to give whatever I can to him, and just from the whole room, I think everybody’s been embracing all the rookies, especially AJ,” he said. “He’s been doing a really good job of filling in and rotating in with heavy, heavy rotating with the ones. I think he’s been doing a really good job and operating like a vet.”
With the departure of Nick Cross in free agency, the Colts have a hole at box safety opposite Bynum—a role that Haulcy’s skill-set appears tailor-made for. In 2025, Cross had 120 total tackles—good for the fourth-most among all defensive backs.
It wouldn’t be any kind of real upset to see Haulcy make a similar statistical dent in his inaugural season—or even exceed it.