The best Indianapolis Colts player to wear each number

You know which Indianapolis Colt is No. 1 in your heart, but which Colt is No. 1 at each number? Here is a look at the top players to wear each number in Indianapolis, using pro-football-reference.com's list:

1. Pat McAfee: No. 1 in the Colts program and No. 1 in many Colts fans' hearts. He's was one of the top punters in the NFL before his retirement.

2. Rigo Sanchez: Had a big rookie year replacing McAfee in 2017. Switched to No. 8 in Year 3 but can't see picking Carson Wentz or Matt Ryan.

3. Rohn Stark: Made four Pro Bowls in 11 years in Indianapolis, leading the NFL in net punting in 1985 and ’86.

4. Jim Harbaugh: Kickers Dean Biasucci and Adam Vinatieri can stake a claim to one of the most talented numbers in Indianapolis Colts history, but Captain Comeback made Indianapolis a Colts town in 1995.

5. Stephon Gilmore: Gilmore only needs one season to bump Kerry Collins and his 0-3 record as starting quarterback to kick off the "Suck for Luck" campaign. Gilmore's made big plays to clinch the few 2022 wins the team has produced.

6. Dan Orlovsky: Led the 2011 Colts to their two victories, but didn’t cost the franchise the No. 1 overall pick in Andrew Luck. He edges out Michael Badgley and Matt Haack.

7. Jacoby Brissett: He was a good backup quarterback forced into the starting lineup by Andrew Luck's retirement and there's little competition.

8. Matt Hasselbeck: He went 5-3 as Andrew Luck's backup. Rigoberto Sanchez could surpass him if he returns healthy.

9. Mark Herrmann: The Carmel and Purdue grad spent parts of four seasons in Indianapolis as a backup quarterback.

10. Jack Trudeau: Had a 64.4 quarterback rating as the team’s off-and-on starter for eight years.

11. Jeff George: Never lived up to the expectations in his hometown, but the Colts dealt him to Atlanta for the draft pick that became Marvin Harrison. Michael Pittman Jr. is catching up fast.

12. Andrew Luck: Quickly edged Mike Vanderjagt (1998-2000) out of this spot.

13. T.Y. Hilton: Quickly edged Mike Vanderjagt (2001-05) out of this spot.

14. Cary Blanchard: Was the All-Pro kicker in 1996, making 36 of 40 field goals (an NFL-leading 90.0%), with a long of 52 yards. Edges Zach Pascal.

15. Phillip Dorsett: A disappointment as a first-round pick, but the competition is Blair White, LaVon Brazill and Dontrelle Inman.

16. Ashton Dulin: Has 450 receiving yards but is an excellent special teams player to earn this spot.

17. Austin Collie: He had 1,845 yards and 16 touchdowns on 257 catches in three seasons (and 1 game), narrowly edging Hunter Smith, the underrated Chris Chandler and Phillip Rivers.

18. Peyton Manning: The best to wear No. 18 for any team.

19. No Indianapolis Colt has worn the number that belonged to Johnny Unitas

20. Jeff Burris: Had 10 interceptions, 5 sacks and 286 tackles in four seasons as a Colts cornerback. Albert Bentley also has a case.

21. Bob Sanders: For three seasons, he was as good as any safety in NFL history. Played a huge role in Indianapolis' only Super Bowl championship.

22. No Indianapolis Colt has worn the number that belonged to Buddy Young.

23. Kenny Moore: Vontae Davis (who switched to 21 out of deference to Frank Gore) and Frank Gore are worth consideration but Moore gets the spot.

24. No Indianapolis Colts has worn the number that belonged to Lenny Moore.

25. Marlon Mack: Two years with 900-plus rushing yards gives him the edge over Nick Harper and Jerraud Powers.

26. Kelvin Hayden: Twelve interceptions in six years as another solid member of the Tampa-2 secondary during the franchise's glory years.

27. Keith Taylor: Had seven interceptions in 1989, returning one for a touchdown. David Macklin and Jacob Lacey also are options.

28. Marshall Faulk: Best remembered as a Ram, but he had five very productive seasons in Indianapolis. Will be interesting to see how Jonathan Taylor compares.

29. Jason Belser: The toughest call. Belser was productive (785 tackles, 13 interceptions, 9 sacks) in nine seasons in Indy, edging out Joseph Addai, Eric Dickerson and Mike Adams.

30. George Odum: Odum earned a First Team All-Pro honor on special teams to knock LaRon Landry out of the top spot.

31. Donald Brown: One Peyton Manning utterance overshadows a productive career. Brown had 3,144 yards from scrimmage and 19 TDs in 5 seasons.

32. Edgerrin James: Few backs have been better than James was his first two seasons, and he returned from a knee injury to be a Pro Bowler. Now a Hall of Famer.

33. Dominic Rhodes: Rushed for 1,104 yards and 9 TDs as a rookie, was a productive tandem back and should have been the MVP of the 2006 Super Bowl (or at least shared it with Addai).

34. Ray Buchanan: Had 16 interceptions (eight in 1994 with 3 TDs) in four seasons with the Colts. What? We’re going to pick Trent Richardson?

35. Pierre Desir: Desir came out of no where to start 6 games in 2017, then made an even bigger jump in 2018, becoming the Colts' No. 1 corner. That was it but his only competition is Tate Randle, a reserve defensive back who made 3 interceptions in 1984.

36. John Baylor: A versatile safety — 8 interceptions, 4 sacks — in the early 1990s who started 37 of his 74 games.

37. Chris Good: This 10th round pick developed into a regular starter in the early 1990s, making 7 interceptions in 96 games (66 starts) over seven seasons.

38. Eugene Daniel: Just an eighth-round pick, he established himself quickly, making six interceptions as a rookie in 1984 and eight the next season. Played corner in Indianapolis until he was 35.

39. Mike Prior: Spent several years starting beside Daniel at free safety. Prior had 27 interceptions in six seasons in Indianapolis.

40. Ray McElroy: He managed nine starts between 1996 and ’97 after he was taken in the fourth round of the 1995 draft.

41. Antoine Bethea: This sixth-round pick immediately established himself as one of the best bargains in Colts history. He was an eight-year starter and made two Pro Bowls.

42. Jason David: The serviceable corner (43 starts and 8 interceptions in 3 seasons) gets the nod over fullback Roosevelt Potts.

43. Aaron Francisco: He gets the nod for making 12 starts and two interceptions as a strong safety in 2010.

44. Dallas Clark: A very productive tight end for Peyton Manning, including an All-Pro season in 2009 when he had 1,106 yards and 10 touchdowns.

45. Matt Overton: Can you remember a bad snap? He’s lasted longer than any of the other 45s, and is a member of what has to be the most beloved kicking unit in NFL history.

46. Luke Rhodes: Pro Bowl long snapper. What else do you need to know?

47. Freddie Robinson: He made 19 starts at safety between 1987 and ’88, chipping in two interceptions in 1987.

48. Justin Snow: Served as the long snapper for 12 years, never missing a game. What can I say, if you long snap, you make this list.

49. David Tate: Finished out his career with four seasons in the Colts’ defensive backfield in the mid-1990s. Had 187 tackles and 3 interceptions in 50 games (36 starts).

50. Duane Bickett: The fifth overall pick in 1985, he put in nine seasons at linebacker with the Colts, making 9 interceptions and 50 sacks with a Pro Bowl appearance in 1987. This has been a productive number with Jerrell Freeman, Larry Moore and David Thornton also filling it.

51. Chip Banks: Made nine sacks in 1992, his final season. He appeared in 53 games for the Colts with 15.5 sacks and 3 interceptions. Pat Angerer has a strong case as well.

52. Mike Peterson: A versatile linebacker (7 interceptions, 4.5 sacks) who stepped into the starting lineup his rookie year and stayed there until free agency called. Played 14 seasons in the NFL. Just edges D'Qwell Jackson.

53. Ray Donaldson: One of the franchise’s best players in its early years as a four-time Pro Bowl center in the mid- to late 1980s. He spent nine years in Indianapolis (plus four with Baltimore). Shaquille Leonard is a strong candidate here but will need to overcome a back injury that has derailed him.

54. Jeff Herrod: An effective linebacker for 10 years in Indy, finishing his career with 14.5 sacks and five interceptions while starting 123 of 143 games.

55. Barry Krauss: An established linebacker when the team moved here, he spent five seasons in Indianapolis, starting 62 of his 64 games. Gets the edge over Quentin Coryatt.

56. Quenton Nelson: Nelson may not add to his postseason honors this year but he's been a hall of fame-caliber lineman to this point.

57. Dylan Gandy: Spent three seasons in Indy, one as a starter on the offensive line. Kemoko Turay, Dave Ahrens and Bertrand Berry are other options.

58. Gary Brackett: Undrafted and undersized, he became the leader of the Colts defense. Brackett had 12 interceptions and 4 sacks in his nine seasons and was, deservedly, a fan favorite.

59. Cato June: Another of the catch-and-release linebackers from the Dungy era. June had 10 interceptions and 362 tackles in four seasons before signing with Tampa Bay in free agency.

60. Lance Louis: Yeah, I was surprised too. 10 starts over two seasons on a less-than-effective offensive line edges out Jeff Charleston.

61. Tony McCoy: Had 23 sacks, with a high of six twice, in eight years with the Colts from 1992-99 after he was taken in the fourth round of the draft.

62. Ellis Johnson: The 15th overall pick of the 1995 draft had a strong seven-year run in Indianapolis, making 33 sacks at defensive tackle.

63. Jeff Saturday: An easy choice. Two-time All-Pro with three other Pro Bowl appearances as Manning’s center.

64. Ben Utt: Was the starter at left guard the Colts’ five seasons in Indianapolis, making 95 starts. Rick DeMulling and Mark Glowinski are a worthy runner-ups.

65. Ryan Lilja: Was a regular in front of Manning for five seasons.

66. Ron Solt: A first-round pick the Colts’ first season in Indy, he earned a Pro Bowl nod in 1987 then played one game in Indianapolis in ’88 before moving to Philadelphia. He returned to Indy in 1992.

67. Will Wolford: A Pro Bowler in Buffalo, he spent three seasons in Indy, adding to his Pro Bowl total in 1995.

68. Eric Foster: The undrafted free agent got 11 starts on the defensive line as a rookie in 2008. He’d combined for six sacks as a reserve over the next two seasons.

69. Randy Dixon: Filled the left guard spot from 1988-1995, making 110 starts.

70. No Indianapolis Colt has worn the number that belonged to Art Donovan.

71. Ryan Diem: Spent 11 years protecting Manning, primarily as the right tackle.

72. Braden Smith: After a rough start to 2022, Smith has settled back in as a solid right tackle.

73. Adam Meadows: Meadows made 99 starts at tackle, with Jake Scott another option.

74. Anthony Castonzo: His retirement has reinforced the solid work he did at the blind side.

75. Chris Hinton: He’ll always be the compensation for trading John Elway, but Hinton was a five-time Pro Bowler at left tackle in Indianapolis.

76. Steve McKinney: Started all 60 games he appeared in for the Colts before continuing his career in Houston.

77. No Indianapolis Colt has worn the number that belonged to Jim Parker.

78. Tarik Glenn: Protected Manning’s blind side for nine seasons (after playing guard as a rookie), and had made three consecutive Pro Bowls when he retired at the age of 30 in 2006.

79. Raheem Brock: A consistent performer for the 2000-era Colts, racking up 28.5 sacks in eight seasons on the defensive line.

80. Bill Brooks: The fourth-round pick had one of the most productive rookie seasons ever for a receiver (1,131 yards, 8 TDs), and earned a spot in the Ring of Honor.

81. Marcus Pollard: The former college basketball player took a while to develop (16 catches his first three seasons), but became a reliable tight end, catching 247 passes for 3,189 yards and 34 TDs over his final seven seasons in Indy.

82. No Indianapolis Colts have worn the number that belonged to Raymond Berry

83. Brandon Stokley: The Colts accomplished a rarity in 2004: three receivers with 1,000-plus yards. Stokley was the other guy with 1,077 and 10 TDs. He never topped 650 yards in a season again, but was a solid reserve for five seasons.

84. Jack Doyle: The versatile tight end retired with 2,729 receiving yards in nine seasons, including two-time Pro Bowl berths.

85. Ken Dilger: Gets the edge over Pierre Garcon. Never explosive but as a consistent receiver at tight end for Manning, totaled 261 catches for 3,181 yards and 18 TDs in 7 seasons.

86. Jerome Pathon: He had a pair of 500-plus receiving yards seasons in the early Manning years.

87. Reggie Wayne: He’ll be remembered for pairing with Harrison and catching passes from Manning and Luck. But perhaps the most impressive number he put up: 960 yards in 2011 when he didn’t have one of the league’s top QBs throwing to him.

88. Marvin Harrison: This Hall of Famer's most impressive number: 17. That’s how many years he held the single-season receptions record (143) despite this pass-happy era.

89. No Indianapolis Colt has worn the number that belonged to Gino Marchetti.

90. Grover Stewart: Stewart has gone from a solid run stopper to Pro Bowl-caliber defensive tackle. Gets the edge over Cory Redding, Montae Reagor and Daniel Muir.

91. Josh Thomas: Josh Thomas was a solid reserve defensive lineman for six seasons.

92. Chad Bratzke: Had 37 sacks in five seasons with Indianapolis as a productive defensive end from 1999-2003.

93. Dwight Freeney: His lack of size dropped him to the Colts in the 2002 draft, but his 107.5 sacks are No. 2 all-time for the Colts.

94. Rob Morris: Something of a disappointment as a first-round pick, but he started at middle linebacker for four seasons and totaled 482 tackles with Indianapolis.

95. Bernard Whittington: Had a seven-year run at defensive end for the Colts.

96. Denico Autry: A rare value free agent pick up, recording 20 sacks over three seasons. The Colts have missed him since he signed with the Titans.

97. Cornelius Bennett: Was long past being the Pro Bowl linebacker he was early in his career when he arrived in Indianapolis, but provided solid production in two seasons.

98. Robert Mathis: The Colts all-time sack leader (with 122) was a fifth-round pick in 2003.

99. Donnell Thompson: A starter at defensive end for the Colts’ first eight season in Indy, he had 35 sacks and started 109 games. DeForest Buckner has a shot at overtaking this spot.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Colts by the numbers: The best player to wear each number