The Indianapolis Colts have an interesting history, like many of these franchises we’ve explored on NFL Thursday over the last few years. The organization goes back to 1953 in its origins, when the team was in Baltimore as the second incarnation of the Colts. Yet this list is dominated by players of the Indianapolis era, really, which is puzzling considering all the success the team had in Baltimore (3 NFL titles, for example).

No. 10: Dwight Freeney, DE—96 AV (2002-2012)

The No. 11 overall pick in the draft, he paid handsome dividends: 7 Pro Bowls between 2003-2011, NFL leader in tackles for loss (2002), NFL sack champion (2004), and the defensive leader of 2 AFC champions (2006, 2009). Overall, Freeney collected 113 TFLs and 107.5 sacks in 163 regular-season games with the team, and in the postseason, he added 10 TFLs and 9 sacks in 17 playoff contests. We think he was worth the pick.

No. 9: Bob Vogel, T—98 AV (1963-1972)

He played in 2 Super Bows with the Colts (1968, 1970), but most of the audience probably has never heard of him. Yet he was the No. 5 overall pick in the draft who ended up making 5 Pro Bowls between 1964-1971 while starting and playing in every game possible during his career, all with Baltimore. How is he not in the Hall of Fame? Six times he reached double-digit AV, and he also started all 10 playoff games he could have.

No. 8: Tarik Glenn, G/T—107 AV (1997-2006)

After playing right guard as a rookie, he moved to left tackle and was a mainstay there for 9 more seasons, finishing his career on a high note with 3 consecutive Pro Bowl nods. Not bad for the 19th overall pick in the draft. Six times, he accrued double-digit AV (1999-2001, 2004-2006). He started 13 postseason games for the Colts, too, helping the team win the Super Bowl in his final season. Retiring on top is everyone’s dream!

No. 7: Bobby Boyd, DB—111 AV (1960-1968)

He was just a 10th-round draft pick, yet he had a pretty stunningly good 9-year career, all with the Baltimore Colts. Again, we’re wondering he’s not in the Hall of Fame: 57 career interceptions, one-time interception yardage king (1964), one-time INT champ (1965), 4 career pick sixes, and an NFL-best 21 AV in his final season—which resulted in an NFL title and a Super Bowl. He also added 2 INTs in 5 playoff games.

No. 6: Edgerrin James, RB—112 AV (1999-2005)

Perhaps one of the NFL poster boys for overuse, he was the No. 4 overall pick in the draft and didn’t disappoint: 2-time NFL rushing champ (1999, 2000), 4-time Pro Bowler (1999-2000, 2004-2005), NFL TD leader (1999), NFL scrimmage-yards leader (2000), NFL AV leader (2004), etc. But the team parted ways with him wisely right before he broke down hard. Three times, though, he posted 20-plus AV marks. Wow.

No. 5: Johnny Unitas, QB—144 AV (1956-1972)

The legend himself led the Colts to the 1958 and 1959 NFL titles, as a castoff acquisition from the Pittsburgh Steelers, who drafted him in the 9th round. He also won 3 NFL MVP votes (1959, 1964, 1967), while reaching 2 Super Bowls with the team. His 117-60-4 record as a regular-season starter is impressive, as is his 6-2 record in the postseason. It’s impossible to list all his statistical achievements here, but he has plenty of them.

No. 4: Jeff Saturday, C—145 AV (1999-2011)

Not drafted out of college, he ended up making 5 Pro Bowls as a Colts player, and he helped the team reach 2 Super Bowls, as well. He also posted double-digit AV in 9 seasons with the team, including a stunning 20 AV in 2005 and another 19 AV in 2007. He also played in 19 playoff games with Indianapolis over the 13 seasons he was with the franchise. That’s a pretty incredible career for a guy that no one drafted in 1999.

No. 3: Reggie Wayne, WR—153 AV (2001-2014)

He was the 30th pick overall in the draft, and he played with two great quarterbacks in his time with the Colts. He made 6 Pro Bowls, including 5 consecutive from 2006-2010. He also led the NFL in receiving yards once (2007) and average yards per catch twice (2007, 2010). In addition, he reached double-digit AV in 8 straight seasons (2003-2010), too. The Colts don’t reach 2 Super Bowls in that time frame without him.

No. 2: Marvin Harrison, WR—160 AV (1996-2008)

These top 3 guys formed quite the trio during their years together, that’s for sure. As the 19th pick in the draft, he made 8 straight Pro Bowls (1999-2006), and he also topped the NFL in receptions twice (2000, 2002), receiving yardage twice (1999, 2002), and receiving TDs once (2005). He posted 8 consecutive seasons of double-digit AV (1999-2006) and reached 20 AV in 1999. Yeah, he was pretty good, we thinks.

No. 1: Peyton Manning, QB—219 AV (1998-2010)

He should have won the 1997 Heisman, but his NFL career was even better: too many superlatives to list here for the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. He was voted the NFL MVP 4 times while with the Colts (2003, 2004, 2008, 2009), and he won the Super Bowl MVP vote, too, in 2006. He posted double-digit AV in every season of his Indianapolis career, which was cut short by injury that forced him to sit out the 2011 season.