In a shocking turn of events, the Indianapolis Colts have released three players from their 2024 NFL draft class as part of the 53-man roster cutdown.

Ryan Phillips of Sports Illustrated reported on Tuesday that the AFC South team parted ways with cornerback Jaylin Simpson, cornerback Micah Abraham, and defensive tackle Jonah Laulu. This decision means that one-third of the Colts' 2024 draft class did not make the active roster. 

The Colts selected Simpson, Abraham, and Laulu in the fifth, sixth, and seventh rounds of the 2024 draft, respectively. Simpson, who played for Auburn, was the highest pick of the three, while Abraham and Laulu were selected from Marshall and Oklahoma, respectively. 

Interestingly, releasing fifth-round cornerbacks is not a new trend for the Colts. Last season, they released Darius Rush, whom they selected with the No. 138 overall pick in the 2023 draft. Rush is now a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers. 

Simpson was the most notable of the three rookies released on Tuesday. During his final collegiate season at Auburn, he recorded four interceptions and a defensive touchdown. Despite this impressive performance, Simpson failed to show enough in training camp and the preseason to earn a spot on the roster. 

The Colts' decision to release these three rookies suggests that the front office believes it has enough talent to win without them. Last season, the Colts went 9-8 but fell just short of the playoffs, which was a significant improvement from their 4-12-1 record in 2022. 

Only time will tell if this decision will have a negative impact on the Colts' season.

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

Colts' 2024 Draft Class Suffers Major Blow: Three Rookies Cut from Roster!

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