The Indianapolis Colts have their head coach and now will look to determine which quarterback they want in the 2023 NFL draft.
After announcing Shane Steichen as the new head coach Tuesday, the Colts will begin putting his staff together before the arrival of the NFL scouting combine. Over the next few months, they are likely to narrow down their list of quarterback prospects to take with their first-round pick.
In his latest mock draft for ESPN, Todd McShay had the Colts moving up to the No. 1 spot in order to select Bryce Young out of Alabama. The compensation to move up to No. 1 included “No. 4 pick, a second-rounder (No. 35), a fifth-rounder and maybe even an additional Round 1 selection in 2024.”
Here’s what McShay had to say about Young as the pick:
New Colts coach Shane Steichen got Justin Herbert up to speed when he was the Chargers’ offensive coordinator during Herbert’s rookie season, and then helped turn Jalen Hurts into one of the league’s top quarterbacks over his two years with the Eagles. Indianapolis has plenty of playmakers already on the roster, but Steichen now needs a signal-caller to build around.
Young’s combine measurements will be important, considering his slender frame (listed at 194 pounds), but he’s my top prospect right now thanks to elite poise in the pocket, good mobility and great field vision. Nothing seems to rattle him, and he can hit all of the NFL-level throws. The Colts must clean up the offensive line to protect him, but Young has a very high ceiling and could help turn the organization around quickly.
There is going to be a hearty debate over the next few months about whether the Colts will draft Young. While he’s seemingly the best quarterback prospect in this class, the concerns over his size are legitimate.
Young was undoubtedly electric in college and is deserving of the No. 1 pick if we’re solely talking about his game as a quarterback. However, projectability is a factor, and teams may exercise caution if Young’s measurables come in leaner than expected.
It wouldn’t be a surprise if the Colts favored Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud or Florida’s Anthony Richardson considering their size and upside whereas betting on an outlier like Young hasn’t been a common theme for Chris Ballard in the early rounds.
At this point in the offseason, not even the Colts know who is at the top of their draft board, but it still provides us with a big debate, especially if they wind up moving up to the No. 1 overall pick.
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