Stampede Blue
Former starter EJ Speed left in Free Agency, opening the door for 2 young linebackers to step up
The final starting level competition for Anarumo to evaluate, this battle will be between 2024 5th Round Pick Jaylon Carlies, 2025 7th Round Pick Hunter Wohler, and 4th year backup linebacker Segun Olubi to see who will replace EJ Speed as the WILL Linebacker to play alongside veteran MIKE Linebacker Zaire Franklin.
Carlies has the most experience of the 3 after his 2024 rookie year with 242 Defensive snaps and 6 Starts. He flashes some fascinating potential in those snaps, with 1 sack, 11 run stops, 36 tackles (24 solo), combined with a 83.1 coverage grade in his small 86 coverage snap sample size. That Coverage grade was 4th in the NFL, behind All Pros Zack Baun and Fred Warner. Unfortunately he suffered an ankle injury and a shoulder injury as a rookie, with the latter requiring surgery this offseason.
Still, the former Safety turned Linebacker out of Missouri’s rookie season creates some optimism that if healthy and in a bigger role, he could flourish as the Colts more Coverage oriented Linebacker alongside Zaire Franklin’s downhill playstyle.
Hunter Wohler is another collegiate box safety who was listed as a linebacker on the Colts draft card, likely hinting he will also convert to Linebacker to compete for the WILL starting job. The former Badger did well in his role as a box safety despite some long speed limitations, but moving closer to the line of scrimmage should alleviate some of those concerns with him focusing on covering short/middle zones or tight ends/running backs/slot wide receivers.
A reliable hitter with quick hands to disrupt catch attempts, as long as bigger blockers are kept off him in the run game he should be a solid contributor. He even has Special Teams experience, helping his odds to make the final roster as a late round pick.
