INDIANAPOLIS -- On the very first day of full-squad spring workouts, Indianapolis Colts rookie safety A.J. Haulcy announced his arrival in a very obvious way.
"First day of practice, he had a one-handed [interception] on an over route," veteran free safety Cam Bynum said. "He snatched it out the air."
It was a welcome sight to see from a rookie, to be sure. But the Colts are going to need more from where that came from if they're going to snap a skid of five seasons without a playoff berth.
One of the hallmarks of the Colts' 2026 defense might be its youth. While the Colts have stressed stability on offense, retaining quarterback Daniel Jones and receiver Alec Pierce, they have undergone a pretty significant overhaul on defense.
And that shift has been one toward a much more youthful lineup.
On a defense featuring stars such as Sauce Gardner and DeForest Buckner, it is the performance of players in their NFL infancy who might determine how far the unit can go. Depending on the result of training camp position battles, there could be as many as five defensive starters who are in their first or second NFL seasons in 2026. None of them has started a game in the NFL and only one has played so much as a single snap on Sundays.
"There's a lot of new guys," Bynum said. "It's a big turnover."
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But the early reviews are mostly positive. There's a big difference between making plays in minicamp and doing it on opening day. But the young defenders are showing a capacity to handle what's being thrown at them. Even veteran defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo -- who has a reputation for not wanting to use young players -- has been impressed.
"Those guys are doing a good job," he said.
The group of young potential starters includes players at some key positions. It appears second-round pick CJ Allen is all but a lock to start at middle linebacker -- a position that likely will require him to handle sideline communication and calling plays in the huddle.
Meanwhile, Haulcy seems like a solid bet to win the starting role at strong safety. The third-round choice has been among the most pleasant surprises of the spring.