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Having the 13th pick in the NFL Draft is kind of an odd spot.
Especially when your the Colts and have decisions to make at quarterback.
You’re kind of in no-man’s land. If the quarterback is really going to change your franchise, chances are he will be picked in the top 10. Unfortunately for the Colts there are multiple other teams ahead of them already in the top 10 who need a quarterback on paper, too.
So what will the Colts do? Would Chris Ballard be willing to move up to get his guy?
Kevin Bowen discussed with JMV on Wednesday.
“I’ve always felt like Chris Ballard would be willing to trade up. I do think he would be willing,” Bowen told JMV.
“I know that’s kind of against what a lot of people think is his core belief when it comes to the draft, but I think quarterback is almost on a different board if you’re going to rank prospects by each positions. I also feel like in order to trade up ultimately he’s got to fall in love and be obsessed with that quarterback and having a firm belief that that guy can come into this building and Frank Reich can develop a trait or two that needs to be developed and outside of that there’s some star quarterback type potential from that guy.”
If he’s willing to do that, would he do it for Utah State quarterback Jordan Love?
Love is a prime example of a quarterback with really unique, trendy NFL traits that has the ability to likely skyrocket up draft boards if he performs well at the Senior Bowl this weekend as well as the upcoming NFL Combine at the end of February.
People have tried to talk themselves into hoping that because Love comes from a small school that he’ll automatically slide in the draft.
They think perhaps he will be there for the Colts to swipe at pick 34 at the start of the second round. Maybe in an ideal world. But this is the NFL, and in the NFL you have to have a quarterback.
So taking Love with pick 34 doesn’t seem likely to Kevin Bowen.
“I think when you look at the teams ahead of the Colts, you could make a really strong case for probably four of them drafting a quarterback, and you could make a decent case for I think about six of them drafting a quarterback. Let’s say four of them do I mean you’re going to have to move up. I always thought it was crazy that people thought there would be a quarterback sitting at 34 that just fell. Quarterbacks don’t fall anymore. I think what we’ve seen in recent years is more of a trend on four and five quarterbacks going in the first 30-35 picks.”
It will be big decision time for Ballard & co. in April. Because if they don’t take Love or any of the other quarterbacks early, then the future of the Colts at the quarterback position likely won’t be answered for at least another season.
“If the Colts really, really like somebody, which is a big question for them to meet all the criteria that Frank Reich and Chris Ballard have, I think at the very least you have to take that guy at 13, if not move up,” Bowen told JMV.
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