Source: Justin Casterline / Getty
The 2023 NFL Draft has come and gone, as NFL teams and their fans bask in the hope that this time of year always provides.
The Colts, of course, addressed their biggest need of the last several years by drafting quarterback Anthony Richardson from Florida 4th overall. While this is undoubtedly the biggest selection the team made, it was far from the only one. In fact, the Colts added 12 new players to their roster, which is the most for the team since the draft became 7 rounds in 1994.
Here’s a quick look at the Colts 2023 Draft Class:
- 1 (4) Florida QB Anthony Richardson
- 2 (44) Kansas St. CB Julius Brents
- 3 (79) N. Carolina WR Josh Downs
- 4 (106) BYU OT Blake Freeland
- 4 (110) Northwestern DT Adetomiwa Adebawore
- 5 (141) S. Carolina CB Darius Rush
- 5 (158) Cal S Daniel Scott
- 5 (162) Miami TE Will Mallory
- 5 (176) Northwestern RB Evan Hull
- 6 (211) Wagner DE Titus Leo
- 7 (221) Texas A&M CB Jaylon Jones
- 7 (236) Northern Michigan OT Jake Witt
It remains to be seen how many of the 12 rookies will ultimately make the final 53-man roster. Or if the ones that do will have any immediate impact. The selection of Anthony Richardson means Ballard has a few years to spare at least, but at some point, progress needs to be shown. So, despite it being far too early to truly assess the Colts crop of rookies, how did the Colts do in this important draft?
According to most NFL Draft grades, Chris Ballard and company had a good 3 days.
NFL.com’s Chad Reuter awarded them an “A” for their 2023 class. Chris Trapasso of CBS.com gave them an “A-“. Mel Kiper of ESPN handed out a “B”, while PFF thought Indy nailed it, giving them an “A +” . By and large, all across the board, the Colts have been getting high marks for their efforts. They addressed areas of need, added depth in certain spots, and of course, have hopefully solved the QB conundrum that has plagued them since August of 2019. Most would, and have, been calling that a pretty good day at the office. Of course, one good draft more than likely won’t completely turn a franchise around, but it can give you a significant head start. For Ballard, that might be more important than most.
During Monday’s edition of The Ride With JMV, John spoke to NFL broadcaster Ian Eagle, as well as Florida Gators writer Scott Carter. Both spoke about the Colts selection of Anthony Richardson 4th overall, as well as the Colts draft in general. Listen to those conversations and more below, and tune in to The Ride With JMV weekdays from 3-6pm on 93.5/107.5 The Fan!
