Indianapolis Colts select George Gumbs Jr. in 5th round of 2026 NFL Draft

The Indianapolis Colts have selected Florida edge rusher George Gumbs Jr. with the No. 157 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Gumbs was taken with a fifth-round selection.

Gumbs emerged as one of the SEC’s top pass-rushers as a senior in 2025 after a long journey to get to that level. He originally began his career as a pass-catcher at Northern Illinois as a walk-on.

He spent three years at Northern Illinois. By 2023, he had transitioned to playing defensive end, where he got a look from Florida out of the NCAA transfer portal.

George Gumbs appeared in 13 games for Florida in 2024, making three starts. He finished second on the team with eight tackles for a loss and five sacks.

In 2025, Gumbs then played in 10 games, starting all of them. He recorded 31 tackles, 6.5 tackles for a loss and 2.5 sacks. He also forced two fumbles and recovered a fumble.

In total at Florida, George Gumbs logged 66 tackles, 14.5 tackles for a loss, 7.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and two pass breakups.

He then went on to post excellent numbers at the NFL Combine. Gumbs had a 4.66-second 40-yard dash, a 41-inch vertical jump and a 10-foot-1 broad jump.

What NFL Draft analysts are saying about George Gumbs Jr.

Gumbs remains a little raw as a prospect, in part because he hasn’t played his position for all that long just yet. He should be able to refine his technique as he gets more time in.

Fundamentals are really the only thing holding him back. By all accounts, he’s a hard worker and a very gifted athlete.

So what are the experts saying? The NFL Network’s Lance Zierlein evaluated George Gumbs ahead of the draft:

“Late bloomer with work to do to convert potential into production. Gumbs’ attitude and work ethic have propelled him through multiple position changes (WR/TE/Edge) and a successful leap from Northern Illinois to Florida. Everything he does as a run defender and pass rusher should improve with additional technique work.

“He’s tough and competitive versus the run, but the ceiling might be average. As a rusher, he’s collected a catalog of openers and counters but is still working on their setup and execution to get to quarterbacks. He has an eventual-starter ceiling with an average-backup floor, but his traits and mentality make him worthy of a Day 3 pick.”