WATCH: Indianapolis Colts owner wants Seth McGowan to prove the doubters wrong

Kentucky running back Seth McGowan had to wait until the seventh round at the 2026 NFL Draft to hear his name called. That was not a surprise. McGowan will have to earn his spot on a 53-man roster this summer. The Indianapolis Colts seem to believe heavily in this Day 3 selection.

Ahead of the pick, Colts co-owner and CEO Carlie Irsay-Gordon got on the phone with McGowan and delivered a strong message to the rookie tailback.

#Colts Owner/CEO Carlie Irsay-Gordon on her draft call with RB Seth McGowan:

“Are you ready to prove everyone that they’re **** wrong?”

🎥: @Colts pic.twitter.com/ByKcF3QshT

— Noah Compton (@nerlens_) April 26, 2026

“Are you ready to prove to everyone that they’re f****** wrong?”

Throughout the NFL, there are social media posts published to give fans behind the scenes content. Perhaps none was more surprising than an owner cussing on video inside the draft room in Indianapolis. This AFC South franchise is seemingly betting on Seth McGowan’s resiliency since this is a player who needed a second chance after a armed robbery arrest in 2021. McGowan then had to scratch and claw his way back to big-time college football. That meant stops at junior college and New Mexico State before finally landing at Kentucky. The tailback took advantage of that opportunity by rushing for 387 yards and seven touchdowns over the first four games before injuries arrived in Week 5.

Seth McGowan now enters a running back situation with the Colts where Jonathan Taylor is the clear RB1, but there will be a wide-open competition for RB2 and RB3 snaps. McGowan will enter that competition with a strong chance to earn a roster spot.

This NFL leadership group seems to believe in the Kentucky product.

Scouting Report

Seth McGowan is a downhill runner who does a good job of making one cut and finding daylight. The tailback does not have true breakaway speed and can be rundown from behind. This tailback does a good job keeping his shoulders square to the line of scrimmage and getting vertical. This leads to some broken tackles and splash runs. However, both those numbers dried up against SEC competition in 2025. The injuries had something to do with that.

The 24-year-old tailback flashes some contact balance on film. McGowan is also a real weapon as a receiver on screens, wheels, and swings out of the backfield. The tailback runs high and can take some shots at the second level. The film reminds many of Isiah Pacheco. McGowan owns good leg drive that can create yards after contact.

McGowan is an experienced tailback with good size who fits best in a gap-heavy downhill run scheme. The college football veteran can provide value as a receiver and put some good blocking reps on tape. Hard-nosed football player who plays with good effort and toughness.

This is a good-sized tailback with a well-rounded skill set who doesn’t do anything great but could fill a variety of roles. Potential third down value but the lack of explosiveness will be a concern for some teams.