Indianapolis Colts' hidden gem lives up to the hype by officially making the team despite longshot odds

Cut-down day in the NFL is absolutely brutal.

All 32 teams must reduce their rosters from 90 to 53, ending countless players' dreams of playing in the NFL.

But it can also be a day of rejoicing as under-the-radar players see their hard work come to fruition and make their teams' initial 53-man roster .

That was the case for Indianapolis Colts undrafted rookie Dalton Tucker.

UDFA Dalton Tucker makes the Colts' initial 53-man roster

Tucker signed with the Colts as an undrafted free agent after not being selected in the 2024 NFL Draft. He spent his entire six-year college career at Marshall University, where he appeared in 51 games.

Tucker began turning heads in training camp with him, stacking solid days of practice. His play caught the attention of both the coaches and his teammates. Colts starting center Ryan Kelly had the following to say about Tucker.

"Small-town Kentucky kid goes and plays at Marshall, undrafted, small signing bonus comes into a very veteran established offensive line. I told the people at the luncheon I think this is the most talented our offensive line has been. But I think Tucker, from day one, tough guy, kind of reminds me of Matt Slauson, probably a little more talented.

Tuck did such a great job of being a great, accountable guy in the room. He brought some character, he has some Kentucky twang to him, so he became a fan favorite pretty quickly. I think what he showed in the last couple of games is how versatile he can be. Tony (is going to stress to those guys that are bubble to backups you can't have ten guys dressing on Sundays, so you gotta be able to play positions on both sides. I think he's done a great job of transitioning, playing hard, being accountable for his team, and getting better. And that's all you can ask for."

- Ryan Kelly on Dalton Tucker

Tucker's strong play in the preseason can't be understated. He played himself into being a player. I would have been shocked if he hadn't made the team's roster. He looked like the team's most reliable depth interior offensive lineman. On my prediction for the Colts' 53-man roster, I only kept nine offensive linemen, and Tucker still landed a spot.

I expect him to be the team's primary guard backup behind starters Quenton Nelson and Will Fries. And who knows, with Fries' contract set to expire this offseason, maybe Tucker can play himself into consideration for a starting role down the line. That even being a possibility worth discussing for an undrafted free agent is a testament to how impressive he has been during his short time with the team.

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