INDIANAPOLIS — The Indianapolis Colts on Sunday announced the signing of five players to their practice squad.
Those signed are tight end Mo Alie-Cox, wide receiver Reece Fountain, wide receiver Steve Ishmael, quarterback Phillip Walker and cornerback D.J. White; the team received a practice squad exception to sign White.
» Alie-Cox, 6-5, 267 pounds, played in three of the Colts' four preseason games this year after spending the final 13 weeks of the 2017 season on Indianapolis’ practice squad. He re-joined the Colts after spending time with the team during the 2017 offseason program and training camp. Alie-Cox was waived-injured by the team on August 5 and after clearing waivers was placed on the Colts Injured Reserve List. He reached an injury settlement with the team on August 10 and was removed from the team’s Injured Reserve List. Alie-Cox originally signed with the Colts as an undrafted free agent on April 21, 2017. Collegiately, he was a four-year standout on the Virginia Commonwealth University basketball team. With the Rams, Alie-Cox started 103-of-142 career games and totaled 1,092 points, 663 rebounds, 87 steals, 112 assists and 255 blocks in 3,322 minutes.
» Fountain, 6-2, 210 pounds, was selected by the Colts in the fifth round (159th overall) of the 2018 NFL Draft. He played in three of the Colts' four preseason games this year and logged four receptions for 46 yards (11.5 avg.) He saw action in 52 games (37 starts) at Northern Iowa and totaled 150 receptions for 2,077 yards and 23 touchdowns. Fountain finished his Panther career as just the sixth player in UNI history to rank in the top 10 in receptions (fourth), receiving yards (ninth) and touchdowns (sixth). He became the 19th player from UNI selected in the NFL Draft. Fountain became the first player from the Missouri Valley Football Conference to earn MVP honors at the East-West Shrine Game. He was named Offensive MVP after catching three passes for 61 yards and adding 40 yards on punt returns in the contest.
» Ishmael, 6-2, 212 pounds, was signed by the Colts as an undrafted college free agent on May 1. He played in all four of the Colts' preseason games this year, logging five receptions for 77 yards (15.4 avg.). He started 39-of-47 career games at Syracuse and compiled 219 receptions for 2,891 yards and 18 touchdowns. He finished as the program’s all-time leader in receiving yardage and his 10 100-yard receiving games ranked second on the Orange career list. Ishmael’s career receptions total was the second most in school history and the 12th on the ACC career chart. He tied for fourth in school history in touchdown receptions and fifth in receiving yards per game (61.5). In 2017, Ishmael started all 12 games and was selected to nine All-America teams after registering career highs in receptions (105) and receiving yards (1,347) while tying his career-high in touchdown receptions (seven). He was a unanimous First Team All-ACC selection and garnered First Team All-ECAC honors. Ishmael was also named a semifinalist for the Biletnikoff Award, presented to the nation's most outstanding receiver. His 105 receptions set the Syracuse single-season record and ranked second in ACC history. Ishmael’s 8.8 receptions per game set the ACC record. He set a single-season school record with eight 100-yard receiving games. In 2016, Ishmael saw action in 11 games (nine starts) and caught 48 passes for 559 yards and one touchdown. He started all 12 games in 2015 and tallied 39 receptions for 570 yards and seven touchdowns. As a freshman in 2015, Ishmael appeared in all 12 games (five starts) and caught 27 passes for 415 yards and three touchdowns.
» Walker, 5-11, 216 pounds, played in all four of the Colts' preseason games this year, completing 30-of-49 passes for 446 yards with four touchdowns to two interceptions, while also adding 10 rushing attempts for 29 yards. He spent the entire 2017 season on the Colts practice squad. He was originally signed by Indianapolis as an undrafted free agent on May 4, 2017. Walker participated in the team’s 2017 offseason program and training camp before being waived during final cuts on September 2 and signed to the practice squad the next day. Collegiately, he started 47-of-49 games at Temple and finished as the school’s all-time leader in passing attempts (1,410), completions (803), passing yards (10,273), touchdown passes (72) and total offense (11,100). Walker also totaled 342 carries for 763 yards and nine touchdowns.
» White, 5-11, 193 pounds, was picked up on waivers by the Colts last November and played in two games in Indy in 2017, recording three tackles. He played in all four preseason games with the Colts this year, collecting two tackles on defense as well as two tackles and a forced fumble on special teams. During his time with the Kansas City Chiefs (2016-17), he played in 11 games and compiled 11 tackles (10 solo), three passes defensed and one interception. He did not see game action with the Chiefs last season. White was originally selected by Kansas City in the sixth round (178th overall) of the 2016 NFL Draft. Collegiately, White appeared in 48 games (34 starts) at Georgia Tech and totaled 162 tackles (133 solo), 3.5 tackles for loss, 21 passes defensed, seven interceptions and five forced fumbles. He was an All-ACC honorable mention selection in 2014.