Colts Have Identified Perfect E.J. Speed Replacement

Mondon is a former five-star recruit who chose to attend Georgia out of high school. A gifted athlete, Mondon was a standout track star as well, hitting 11.46 seconds in the 100-meter dash and a 46-foot triple jump. He began his career with the Bulldogs as a reserve defensive back/special teams player back in 2021.

Mondon moved to linebacker ahead of the 2022 season, starting 13 games at the position. He led the team with 76 total tackles, along with eight tackles for a loss and 23 hurries. He went on to win a national championship that season as the Bulldogs trounced TCU in the final game of the season.

Mondon emerged as a consistent starter in his final two seasons with the program, even earning Second-Team All-SEC honors in 2023. He combined for over 100 total tackles, nine tackles for a loss, six sacks, and four pass deflections in his final two seasons with Georgia. He finished his collegiate career with 51 games played and two national championship victories.

Mondon was invited to participate in the 2025 Reese’s Senior Bowl this offseason, where his coverage prowess was among the best of the linebackers in attendance.

Georgia LB Smael Mondon Jr has been excellent through two days of work.

Physical downhill presence & a smooth athlete in space. His 1-1 reps in coverage today pic.twitter.com/eiXRNoeoxf

— Ryan Fowler (@_RyanFowler_) January 29, 2025

Size/Testing

Height: 6’2″

Weight: 224 pounds

Arm Length: 31.75 inches

Testing Numbers: 40 Time: 4.58 seconds / 10-Yard Split: 1.52 / Bench: 25 Reps / Broad Jump: 130 inches

Smael Mondon was floating on this 10’10 broad jump pic.twitter.com/nevhDFyyri

— Brooks Austin (@BrooksAustinBA) February 28, 2025

Standout Traits on Film

Mondon’s best trait on film is his versatility. Beginning his career as a defensive back, Mondon plays the linebacker position with a different level of speed and explosion than most players. He triggers downhill with excellent burst, and he is a better coverage player than his raw stats suggest. He finished his college career allowing just 74 receptions in 774 coverage snaps, according to Pro Football Focus.

Mondon can line up as a blitzer off of the edge on passing downs, as a WILL linebacker on base downs, and even out as a nickel defender in three-linebacker looks. His size and speed give a defense a ton of versatility, and he showcased the ability to step up to the plate when asked to perform different roles.

Georgia LB Smael Mondon is a fun watch. Played all over the Georgia defense, lining up at WILL, edge, and even out in the nickel as a Star defender.

Strong coverage player with good eyes and feel. Think he can be a solid sub package player on day one pic.twitter.com/69BeBKAwCq

— Zach Hicks (@ZachHicks2) March 29, 2025

The Colts are likely to deploy a defense that asks more of the linebackers in coverage. Rather than just sinking back into hook zones over the middle, Lou Anarumo wants his linebackers to be fast, deceptive, and capable of keeping up in man coverage. The Colts already have Jaylon Carlies on the roster, but another athletic coverage player in the mix would do wonders for the team on third down.