Colts rank at the top of a very promising list
It is clear that Chris Ballard and Shane Steichen entered the 2023 NFL Draft with a key philosophy: draft good athletes. Ballard is known for selecting prospects with good traits. But that was taken to another level this time around. Look no further than who the Colts drafted at quarterback. Anthony Richardson is an extremely […]
It is clear that Chris Ballard and Shane Steichen entered the 2023 NFL Draft with a key philosophy: draft good athletes. Ballard is known for selecting prospects with good traits. But that was taken to another level this time around.
Look no further than who the Colts drafted at quarterback. Anthony Richardson is an extremely rare athlete behind center. He tested better at the NFL Scouting Combine than anybody at his position ever has.
Safe to say that head coach Shane Steichen had a big say in adding Richardson. Especially since he coached up Jalen Hurts to a good amount of success as offensive coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles.
But the strategy went beyond just Richardson, who obviously headlines the class. Second-round selection Julius Brents tested as one of the best cornerbacks in the draft. Even the team's final pick of the draft, Jake Witt, is a gifted athlete.
NFL Next Gen Stats displayed just how athletic the Colts' draft class actually is. According to their data, Indianapolis had the most athletic group in the entire NFL. That is impressive, to say the least.
Indianapolis scored an impressive 86 in Next Gen's formula. Additionally, the Colts had 10 draft selections that recorded an athletic score of 75 or better. Which is the most since 2003, per the data.
Drafting good athletes is certainly a good strategy to have. Indianapolis is banking on all of the incoming athleticism paying off in a big way. That starts with Richardson, of course, but is true with every prospect that the team selected.
The Indianapolis Colts entered the draft with a sound strategy that was carried out from round one all the way through the final pick. Based on the data, Indianapolis executed its plan well.
