Indianapolis, IN
Meet all 12 Indianapolis Colts undrafted free agents
The Indianapolis Colts announced the addition of 12 undrafted free agents for the rookie minicamp beginning Friday:
>> Cam Ball, DT, Arkansas: Appeared in 50 games with 31 starts, making 138 tackles, 12.5 for loss with 3 sacks at 6-4, 310 pounds. Ball was a team captain last season, named to the 2025 AFCA Good Works Team and on the 2024 Fall SEC Academic Honor Roll.
>> Austin Brown, S, Wisconsin: Received a $272,000 guarantee, a source told IndyStar. The 6-0, 199-pounder played in 50 games with 24 starts), totaling 142 tackles with eight passes defensed. Brown was a three-time Academic All-Big Ten choice (2023-25) and named CSC Academic All-District in 2025.
>> Tahj Chambers, LB, Mississippi: Played in 15 games in one season at Mississippi with 45 tackles and three passes defensed. The 6-2, 231-pounder also played in 43 games at Missouri State with 196 tackles, 17 for loss, 3.0 sacks and eight passes defensed. Chambers made the MVFC honor roll in 2022 and 2024 and was selected to the Missouri State AD’s Honor Roll in Fall 2022 and Fall 2024.
>> Sahmir Hagans, WR, Duke: The 5-11, 188-pounded played in 57 games at Duke with 152 catches for 1,586 yards and 14 touchdowns. Hagans also returned 24 kicks for a 31.5-yard average and two touchdowns and five punts for a 30.6-yard average with a score. He was a second team All-ACC selection as a return specialist in 2025 and named to the 2022 ACC All-Academic Team.
>> E.J. Horton, WR, Purdue: Played in 41 games between Purdue, Florida Atlantic, West Virginia and Marshall in a college career that began in 2020. He made 53 catches for 735 yards and four touchdowns.
>>Mitchell Melton, DE, Virginia: Played at Virginia and Ohio State as a 6-3, 253-pound defensive end with 60 tackles, 16.5 for loss, 8 sacks, 4 passes defensed and 3 forced fumbles. Last season he started 14 games at Virginia and was honor mention All-ACC.
>>Lincoln Pare, RB, Texas State: At 5-8, 190 pounds, Pare played in 38 games with 2,454 yards and 25 touchdowns on 477 carries, plus 78 receptions for 644 yards and 3 scores. Prior to earning second team All-Sun Belt last season, Pare played at Arkansas State. His last name is pronounced Pair-ee.
>>Nolan Rucci, OL, Penn State: At 6-8, 314 pounds, Rucci was a tackle at Penn State and Wisconsin, making 18 starts. He was honor mention All-Big Ten.
>> Raylen Sharpe, WR, Arkansas: At 5-9, 173 pounds, Sharpe was a receiver and ball carrier at Arkansas, Fresno State, Missouri State and Houston with 181 catches for 2,413 yards and 14 touchdowns, plus 12 carries for 122 yards and he threw a touchdown pass. He was honor mention All-Mountain West in 2024 and first team All-MVFC in 2023 while also running track in 2021 at Houston.
>>Geno VanDeMark, C, Alabama: Earned starts at right guard, left guard and center at 6-4, 314 pounds. Also played 18 games, with eight starts at Michigan State.
>>Jordon Vaughn, RB, Abilene Christian: He’s 6-3, 228 pounds and rushed for 1,018 yards and 11 touchdowns on 179 caries in 30 games. Also played at Wyoming for two seasons.
>>West Weeks, LB, LSU: The 6-2, 230-pound linebacker appeared in 54 games between LSU and Virginia with 164 tackles, 12.5 for loss and 5 sacks.
Joel A. Erickson and Nathan Brown cover the Colts all season. Get more coverage on IndyStarTV and with the Colts Insider newsletter.
Indianapolis, IN
National list names Indianapolis burger one of best in country
José Plasencia brings Cuban cuisine to Fountain Square’s Inferno Room
Cuban food never got the opportunity to evolve. Now at the Inferno Room, José Plasencia is giving his homeland cuisine a second chance.
A standout burger can come from unexpected places, as evidenced by one Indianapolis restaurant whose unconventional take on the American classic has earned it a spot on a national USA Today list.
There’s only one burger on the menu at the recently reimagined Inferno Room in Fountain Square, but it’s a good one.
Chef José Plasencia’s rendition of the Cuban frita, a beef-chorizo burger defined by a topping of fried shoestring potatoes, joined heavy hitters from across the country on USA TODAY’s pantheon of patties.
The USA Today list included places like Mr. Bartley’s Burgers, a veritable institution in Cambridge, Massachusetts as well as Jay’s Burgers in Louisville and Sacred Beast in Cincinnati.
Indianapolis’ best-known burger spot, the more than century-old Workingman’s Friend, did not make the national list but appeared alongside the Inferno Room on USA TODAY’s roundup of exemplary Midwest burgers. Both were featured on IndyStar’s list of 10 burgers to try around town.
Indianapolis, IN
Armed carjacking reported at Fishers IHOP; 2 Indianapolis teens arrested
FISHERS, Ind. — Two Indianapolis teens were arrested after an alleged armed carjacking at a Fishers IHOP.
In a post on Facebook, the Fishers Police Department indicated that its officers were called to the IHOP restaurant located at 9750 North by Northeast Boulevard around 10:39 p.m. Monday to investigate a reported carjacking. After they arrived at the scene, which was located just north of East 96th Street, police determined two suspects had pointed a firearm at a food delivery driver and demanded that they hand over the keys to their car.
After the victim gave up the keys to their car, the suspects fled the scene. FPD reported that the victim was not harmed during their encounter with the suspects.
Police told FOX59/CBS4 that the alleged carjacking appeared to be a crime of opportunity. Investigators believe the suspects saw the delivery driver picking up food at IHOP and took advantage of the opportunity to steal a car.
During their investigation of the alleged carjacking, police reviewed Flock camera data and determined the suspects had driven toward Binford Boulevard after they fled the IHOP. Investigators ultimately tracked the suspects to an apartment complex in Indianapolis.
Law enforcement found the victim’s vehicle in the parking lot of the apartment complex in question. The car was unoccupied when police located it.
FPD ultimately arrested the suspects after receiving a search warrant. Fishers police received assistance with the arrest from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s violent crimes task force and the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department’s K-9 and special weapons and tactics (SWAT) units.
Investigators determined the two individuals they arrested in Indianapolis were the suspects implicated in the carjacking via surveillance video. Per FPD, the video confirmed that the suspects were wearing the same clothes during both their arrests and the alleged carjacking.
Police recovered more of the victim’s personal items from their car once they located it. Officers also found the firearm that the suspects allegedly used during the incident. FPD reported that the gun the suspects used during the alleged carjacking had an extended magazine.
Investigators identified one of the suspects as 18-year-old Khalil Glover. The other suspect is a 17-year-old male. FPD did not publicly release the juvenile suspect’s name.
Glover faces the following formal charges:
- Armed robbery — A Level 3 Felony
- Pointing a firearm at another — a Level 6 Felony
- Auto theft — a Level 6 Felony
- Theft where the value of the property stolen is between $750 and $50,000
It is currently unclear if the juvenile implicated in the alleged carjacking will be officially charged as an adult. FPD arrested him on the following preliminary charges:
- Armed robbery — a Level 3 Felony
- Pointing a firearm — a Level 6 Felony
- Auto theft — a Level 6 Felony
- Theft — a Level 6 Felony
- Unlawful carrying of a handgun — a Class A Misdemeanor
Glover and the juvenile suspect were both transported to the Hamilton County jail following their arrests. FPD indicated that, during its interview with Glover, he admitted that he and the juvenile had participated in a robbery. Police have not clarified whether it was Glover or the juvenile who pointed the gun at the victim during the alleged carjacking.
“When someone in our city, whether a resident or someone visiting is victimized, we take it personal,” Fishers Police Chief Ed Gebhart said via release. “We will use all our resources, all our people, and all our partnerships to find criminals and hold them accountable. Technology helps us, but it’s just a tool for good, old-fashioned police work to take place. I’m extremely proud of our team and our ability to work with our law enforcement partners.”
Indianapolis, IN
Indianapolis’ best-kept secret will make-or-break the Colts’ season
In recent years, the Indianapolis Colts have taken pride in their offensive line. It only took derailing Andrew Luck’s career for general manager Chris Ballard to realize that he needed to bolster the trenches to protect the quarterback.
Despite some minor turnaround between seasons, the Colts’ line has held its ground for the most part. That has helped Jonathan Taylor establish himself as one of the most underrated players in the game.
Considering that, Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski chose center Tanor Bartolini as the Colts’ best-kept secret. In his latest column, he gushed about how he was a seamless replacement for Ryan Kelly and how crucial he’ll be for Shane Steichen’s team.
The Indianapolis Colts need Tanor Bartolini to take another step in 2026
“After one full season as a starter, the Indianapolis Colts’ Tanor Bortolini has established himself as one of the game’s best centers already,” Sobleski wrote. “The Colts eased Bortolini into the lineup as a rookie, because Ryan Kelly was still on the team. With Kelly leaving last offseason, Bortolini was asked to take over the spot and excelled.”
Standing at 6’4″ and 310 pounds, Bartolini has the prototypical body of an NFL center. However, he’s light on his feet and much more athletic than the average center, though his shorter arms limited as a pass-blocker. He has a strong technique and has the potential to be one of the best run zone-blockers in the game.
Pro Football Focus (subscription required) gave him an 82.6 overall grade, which ranked 3rd among 40 eligible players at the position; not so bad for a 23-year-old in his first full season as a starter. He was slightly above average in pass protection (66.2, 16th), but he was absolutely elite for the running game (88.2, 3rd).
Bartolini allowed just 17 pressures, including five hits, in 937 total snaps played. He didn’t allow a single sack, though he was called for four penalties, which is something he’ll clean up with more reps under his belt.
The Colts enter this season with more questions than answers on offense. They have fewer weapons for the passing game now that Michael Pittman Jr. is gone, and with Daniel Jones coming off a major injury, keeping a clean pocket will be paramount for Shane Steichen’s team.
Likewise, this team will have a better shot at success the more they get Jonathan Taylor involved. Bartolini’s ability to climb and move in open space will come in handy in 2026, and having him play at the same level — if not better — than he did last season could be the difference between a playoff spot and watching the postseason from home again.
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