Colts late Day 3 draft pick named an 'instant impact' rookie

JP Acosta of CBS Sports recently revisited the 2026 NFL draft, selecting one "instant impact" rookie from each of the seventh rounds, and one of the Indianapolis Colts' late-round picks was included on this list.

At pick 254 overall, just a few selections before the draft was over, the Colts landed Oklahoma wide receiver Deion Burks, who Acosta believes can provide immediate help.

"Burks' speed is a game-changer, and despite his draft fall, if there's any Day 3 player who can make an instant impact, it's him," Acosta wrote.

Many, even including GM Chris Ballard, didn't expect Burks to be available at this point in the draft. Taking Burks late in Round 7 was one of the better value picks made by any team in this draft.

The Colts picked Burks at 254th overall, but on the consensus big board, he was the 96th-ranked player.

Burks played a big role in Oklahoma's offense last season, totaling 86 targets. He would catch 58 of those passes for 617 yards with four touchdowns. This past season, Burks was quite good after the catch as well, showcasing his playmaking abilities.

As he did at Oklahoma, the Colts believe Burks can continue to play both inside and out at the NFL level.

"He's fast, he's explosive," Ballard said. "We think he's got a real chance to help us and we'll try to get him worked in the return game, too. Even though he hadn't done a lot of it, we think he's got upside as a returner."

Burks should have the opportunity to compete with Ashton Dulin and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine for the WR3 role.