Stampede Blue
With the 2017 through 2022 classes already reviewed, the next stop in the Chris Ballard draft review series is 2023. This one is difficult to evaluate because it is still fairly recent, but enough time has passed to start making some firm judgments.
Unfortunately for the Colts, most of those judgments are not flattering.
This class is defined by Anthony Richardson, and when the fourth overall pick fails to become the franchise quarterback, the entire draft takes a major hit. The Colts also missed badly on Julius Brents, another premium pick in the top 50. That is a brutal start to any class.
Josh Downs and Jaylon Jones keep this from becoming a complete disaster. Downs has become a tremendous slot receiver and one of the best picks of the Ballard era relative to where he was taken. Jones has given the Colts strong seventh-round return as a depth corner and spot starter. Adebawore has also developed into a useful rotational piece.
But when the first two picks are misses, especially at quarterback and cornerback, there is only so much the rest of the class can do to save the grade.
Richardson is the most complicated pick to grade, but the final answer is still pretty clear.
For a fourth overall pick, he has been a bust. There is no other way about it.
The occasional flashes keep him from being an F. There were moments where the athletic tools looked special, and you could see why the Colts took the swing. His size, arm strength and mobility created plays that very few quarterbacks can make.
But those moments were not enough. His play on the field has mostly been poor. The accuracy has not been consistent. The processing and decision-making have not developed enough. He has struggled to make reads, struggled to stay healthy, and has not shown the maturity or command needed from a franchise quarterback.
You can make excuses for the development plan, the injuries, the supporting cast, or the coaching. Some of those excuses may even be fair, but the bottom line is that Richardson has not become a quarterback the Colts can trust.
When you take someone fourth overall, the expectation is franchise-altering impact. Richardson did not provide that or even come close to providing that.
Grade: D
Brents was another major miss.
The Colts bet on size and athleticism, which has been a recurring theme with Ballard. Brents had the long frame and physical traits teams like in outside cornerbacks, but the pick never came close to working out.
Injuries crushed his time in Indianapolis. He appeared in only 11 games, which is a terrible return for a top-50 pick. When he was on the field, the play was okay in flashes, but nowhere close to good enough to justify the draft slot.
Availability is a big part of the evaluation. Brents simply was not available...
