The Indianapolis Colts officially have gotten through the biggest weekend of the offseason with the conclusion of the 2023 NFL draft.
In total, general manager Chris Ballard and the rest of the front office made 12 selections, nine of which came on Day 3 of the draft. They added to the majority of needs across the roster while bringing in some competition at almost every position.
Here are 10 takeaways from the Colts’ draft in 2023:
1
QB of the future
The Colts finally went all in on a quarterback, taking Anthony Richardson with the No. 4 overall pick. There’s a long road of development ahead, but Richardson has the tools, work ethic and arm talent to be a unicorn.
2
Heavy focus on the secondary
The Colts left the 2023 NFL draft having taken four defensive backs. They used a second-round pick on local product Julius Brents and then turned around on Day 3 to take cornerback Darius Rush (Round 5), safety Daniel Scott (Round 5) and cornerback Jaylon Jones (Round 7). Considering how thin the room was, this was a fantastic way to add depth and competition.
3
Most picks of Chris Ballard's tenure
After making two trades on Day 2 and another trade on Day 3, the Colts concluded the draft with 12 selections. That’s the highest amount of picks since the 2018 haul, which had 11 selections. Nine of the picks in 2023 came on Day 3.
4
Weapons for the rookie QB
When taking a rookie quarterback as high as they did, it’s vital to surround him with as much talent as possible. The Colts did that by selecting wide receiver Josh Downs in the third round. His shiftiness and crafty route running ability should make for a nice target from the slot right away. The Colts also added tight end Will Mallory, who is a speedy option to compete as a move tight end.
5
Backfield competition
Even with Jonathan Taylor leading the backfield, some depth and competition was needed. The Colts waited until Day 3 to make that pick, and it wound up being in the form of Evan Hull. A productive receiver with a strong size/speed combination, Hull has a skill set that can compete right away for the RB3 role.
6
Sleeper pick
The Colts may have landed a massive steal in the fourth round with defensive tackle Adetomiwa Adebawore. An uber-athletic pass rusher, Adebawore will compete at the three-technique despite spending most of his career on the edge. His length, speed, burst and elite athleticism make him an intriguing selection with immense upside.
7
No linebackers
The Colts exited this draft without the selection of a linebacker. It wasn’t a massive need, but there are questions surrounding Shaquille Leonard’s health. It might be a signal that Leonard’s prognosis is encouraging, but it also may have just been a thin class. Regardless, this position will be one to watch.
8
Intriguing UDFA guard
The Colts didn’t take a guard prospect in the draft, but they signed one that fell as an undrafted rookie free agent. Former Alabama right guard Emil Ekiyor was a projected mid-round pick and was a three-year starter for the Crimson Tide. He’s talented enough to compete for the starting right guard spot right away.
9
Athleticism galore
The Colts were not messing around when it came to drafting athletes. Once again, their draft haul is full of elite athletes. That doesn’t always translate to success, but the good players in the NFL typically are good athletes. It simply raises the floor level of these prospects, and it gives the Colts plenty of chances to add more big plays on both sides of the ball.
10
A pair of project OTs
The Colts started off Day 3 of the draft by taking former BYU OT Blake Freeland, and they finished off the day by taking former Northern Michigan OT Jake Witt. Both are considered projects with Freeland being much further ahead in his development. Freeland is a tall, athletic mover with experience at both right and left tackle. Witt only started playing offensive tackle a few years ago and was a selection purely based on his athletic traits.
