Going into the 2023 NFL Draft, the Indianapolis Colts were coming off a disastrous 2022 season. They had failed to live up to off season expectations and faltered to a dismal 4-12-1 record. The Colts knew they had to make a splash in the draft to give themselves and their fanbase the hope of building up a foundation that will set the stage for a promising future moving forward.
The Colts had several key needs to address in this year's draft, most notably the quarterback position. Other areas of focus for this franchise included the positions of cornerback and wide receiver. They wanted players who they believe can make an immediate impact. Those needs were covered early with the additions of players such as quarterback Anthony Richardson from Florida, cornerback Julius Brents from Kansas State and wide receiver Josh Downs from North Carolina. In the later rounds, the Colts were looking to add some much needed depth to their roster.
Since taking over the general manager role in 2018, Chris Ballard has had his fair share of NFL Draft success with the Colts. He has had the reputation over the last few years for trading back to acquire more picks and this draft was no different. In total, the Colts accumulated 12 picks in total, a new record under Chris Ballard and the most for the Colts since 1992.
The Colts most glaring need going into the 2023 NFL Draft was the quarterback. Since the sudden retirement of Andrew Luck just before the 2019 season, the Colts quarterback situation has been nothing but a revolving carousel to say the least. In the four years since Luck retired, the Colts have had seven different quarterbacks start atleast one game. After signing veterans such as Phillip Rivers, Carson Wentz and Matt Ryan and not having quite the success that was hoped for, the Colts knew the time had come to draft a quarterback and build around him for the future. The question that was surrounding the Colts wasn't necessarily if they would take a quarterback but which one. That answer came in the form of Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson.
With the fourth pick in the 2023 draft, the Colts selected Richardson with the hope that he will be the key piece to take the Colts into the future. In drafting the Florida quarterback, the Colts are getting one of the most athletic players ever to come out of college. So much intrigue with this young prospect. Some of the physical attributes are astonishing. The size at 6'4 and 236 pounds. The speed in which he ran a 4.43 40 yard dash at the NFL Combine back in March. He has arm strength to reach every part of the field with relative ease. Richardson has the qualities and skillset that make people say wow.
He does however have some qualities that will make him a project that will have to learn under Colts coach Shane Steichen. Richardson is only 20 years old, leaving Florida after his sophomore year to enter the NFL Draft. His experience in which he only played a total of 13 career games for the Gators has had some questioning if he will be ready right away with such little experience in college. He completed just 53 percent of his passes in those 13 games. This is a high risk, high reward potential player for the Colts.
Richardson will learn under first year Colts head coach Shane Steichen who the franchise is banking on to improve his new quarterback so he is prepared for the future. Steichen is a quarterback guru who previously worked with and had success with Phillip Rivers, Justin Herbert and Jalen Hurts. Rivers was a three time pro bowler under Steichen from 2016-2018, Herbert won Rookie Of The Year in 2020 when Steichen was the Chargers offensive coordinator and Jalen Hurts was second in MVP voting and he and Steichen helped the Philadelphia Eagles reach the Super Bowl last season. Steichen has the resume to prove he can help Anthony Richardson find success in the NFL.
The Colts have their quarterback and the coach with the potential to make Anthony Richardson a franchise game changer for years to come. The question will be when will they be ready to send Richardson into the spotlight on the field? The roster currently contains three other quarterbacks. Will the Colts be ready to hand the keys to Richardson on day one or will they want to take their time with him and bring him along in the process at a slower pace? Those answers will become more clear as the season gets closer. For now, the Colts have their quarterback and are very excited about what the future holds for them with Anthony Richardson.
Another position of need the Colts looked to focus on in the draft was the cornerback spot. This position going into the draft was thin. The Colts had traded away arguably their best corner in Stephon Gilmore when they delt him to the Dallas Cowboys for a fifth round pick a month ago. While the move did clear up 9 million dollars in cap space, it did leave the Colts with a gaping hole at the cornerback spot. In recent years, the Colts have been able to usually find a veteran cornerback in the free agency market. So far in 2023 that hasn't been the case. The Colts addressed their cornerback need in the second round at pick 44 with Julius Brents from Kansas State.
This was a typical Chris Ballard move when it comes to the NFL Draft. It was mentioned earlier how he has been notorious for trading back over the years to add more draft picks in later rounds. You never know what Ballard will pull off. There are seven rounds in the NFL Draft and Chris Ballard takes full advantage of those seven rounds. The Colts second round pick started at number 35, was traded to the Las Vegas Raiders to become pick number 38 and the Colts also acquired the 141st overall pick which would be in the fifth round. Then the Colts were on the clock again in the second round with the 38th pick, they traded back yet again. This time trading the 38th overall pick to the Atlanta Falcons to move down six more spots to the 44th overall pick and also acquiring the 110th selection in the draft which would be in the fourth round.
Brents is a 6-3, 198 pound outside cornerback with a long range wingspan and not blazing speed but quick bursts at the line of scrimmage and a well timed jumping ability that made him a first team All Big 12 selection in 2022. With his range of quickness and jumping incentives, it makes him potentially a strong fixture in defensive coordinator Gus Bradley's system. He is a well round tackler, totaling 111 tackles in his college career. His instincts to the ball helped him intercept six passes and break up 12 passes over his Wildcat career. He did have a few injuries in college to note and is currently recovering from a wrist injury that will keep him sidelined until training camp this summer.
Brents is a local player. Born and raised in Indianapolis, he played his high school football at Warren Central, where he was a three time all state selection for the Warriors. His favorite team growing up was his hometown Colts and his favorite player was former pro bowler and 2007 Defensive Player of The Year Bob Sanders. Brents becomes just the fourth player from Indianapolis to be drafted by the hometown franchise, joining Jeff George in 1990 as the only Warren Central players to be drafted by the Indianapolis Colts.
In the third round at pick number 79, the Colts selected wide receiver Josh Downs from North Carolina. Downs doesn't exactly fit the description of a typical wide receiver that a general manager like Chris Ballard would take in the draft. Standing at only 5'9, the speedy slot receiver is the shortest player drafted by the Colts since T.Y. Hilton in 2012. Josh Downs was on the Colts radar from the start, thanks in large part to the advocation from Colts wide receivers coach and future hall of famer Reggie Wayne. After the NFL Scouting Combine, Wayne was convinced that Josh Downs needed to be on the Colts draft board. The Colts listened to their former pro bowler's advice and selected Downs with the 79th overall pick in the third round.
Downs had his share of success in college, scoring 22 touchdowns and amassing over 2,483 receiving yards in the process. He has great route running abilities and ran a 4.48 in the 40 yard dash. He will most likely line up in the slot. With bigger wide receivers on the outside such as Michael Pittman and Alec Pierce, Downs can become the slot receiver the Colts have been looking for the past few years. There could also be the possibility that he could be able to return some punts as a special teams player in the role that Nyheim Hines had done the last few seasons. The Colts are getting a potential dynamic receiver for their offense. Josh Downs could be the connection to Anthony Richardson that T.Y. Hilton was to Andrew Luck.
