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2023 NFL Draft: Instant Analysis and Grades for Every Team’s Picks

By Sayre Bedinger

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - APRIL 27: (L-R) C.J. Stroud poses NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell after being selected second overall by the Houston Texans during the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft at Union Station on April 27, 2023 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images)
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - APRIL 27: (L-R) C.J. Stroud poses NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell after being selected second overall by the Houston Texans during the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft at Union Station on April 27, 2023 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images) /
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2023 NFL Draft
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – APRIL 27: (L-R) Anthony Richardson poses with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell after being selected fourth overall by the Indianapolis Colts during the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft at Union Station on April 27, 2023 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images) /

Indianapolis Colts

  • 4. Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida
  • 44. Julius Brents, CB, Kansas State
  • 79. Josh Downs, WR, North Carolina
  • 106. Blake Freeland, OT, BYU
  • 110. Adetomiwa Adebawore, EDGE, Northwestern
  • 138. Darius Rush, CB, South Carolina
  • 158. Daniel Scott, S, Cal
  • 162. Will Mallory, TE, Miami
  • 176. Evan Hull, RB, Northwestern
  • 211. Titus Leo, EDGE, Wagner
  • 221. Jaylon Jones, CB, Texas A&M
  • 236. Jake Witt, OT, Northern Michigan

The Indianapol-RAS Colts.

ChRAS Ballard.

The Colts, perhaps more than any other team in the NFL, might just look at their draft board and ask, “Who’s the guy with the highest Relative Athletic Score” on the board here?”

And then they take them.

The Colts took one of the draft’s perfect 10/10 players on the RAS scale at the top in Anthony Richardson, and that pick will define the next window of time for this franchise as a whole. Even though owner Jim Irsay took to Twitter and asked Colts fans if he should use his team’s second-round pick on Will Levis and give the Colts a modern version of Joe Montana and Steve Young.

Funny guy.

The Colts didn’t end up taking Levis, but they loaded up on absolutely freak athletes.

But getting good athletes is one thing. What about good football players?

I think the Colts got a good combination of the two, even if some of the guys they landed are raw. Julius Brents will be an instant contributor in the secondary and Josh Downs is one of the most explosive slot players in this class. I love the idea of putting him in the mix with Michael Pittman Jr. and Alec Pierce, with Jehlani Woods at that tight end spot.

There are obviously a ton of picks to touch on here, but the Colts’ selections out of the Northwestern program could end up paying immediate dividends with Ade Adebawore off the edge and a sleeper Evan Hull at the running back position.

The final pick of this draft was Northern Michigan tackle Jake Witt, a former tight end who has elite physical traits and just needs some seasoning.

But the defining pick in this class will undoubtedly be Anthony Richardson and how quickly he can develop with the QB whisperer, Shane Steichen. Ultimately, the Colts have a clear process and I can respect that. We’ll see how the big-time RAS stars pair with this new coaching staff.

Grade: B+

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