The Indianapolis Colts will have many options over the three-day NFL Draft but there is one thing that would be a big mistake.
Entering the 2022 NFL Draft, the Indianapolis Colts are in pretty good shape. They have a lot of pieces in place already so there should be a clear plan of attack.
However, staring at a draft board of elite college prospects could be a bit overwhelming as teams have to decide which young player they want to take a gamble on.
We’ve already discussed how this leads to common draft mistakes the Colts must avoid, but there’s an even bigger mistake that is specific to Indianapolis this draft.
The biggest mistake the Colts could make in the 2022 NFL Draft is selecting a quarterback before Day 3 of the draft.
This is the question I think teams are confronting right now with this year's quarterback class—Are we really upgrading? Is the guy we're drafting good enough to run with Mahomes, Allen and Herbert the next decade? Will we be looking to replace him in 3 years?
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) April 6, 2022
Bar's higher now. https://t.co/r321StbFkE
Colts shouldn’t consider drafting a quarterback until Day 3
The biggest move of Indy’s offseason has been acquiring veteran quarterback, Matt Ryan, in a trade with the Atlanta Falcons. Indianapolis sent a third-round pick to Atlanta and that’s the only pick before Day 3 that should be used on a quarterback this offseason.
The way the Draft is structured, Day 1 is the first round, Day 2 is for rounds two and three, and Day 3 is for rounds four through seven. The Colts don’t have a first-round pick, but they do have two Day-2 selections and five picks for Day 3.
With Matt Ryan turning 37 and only two years remaining on his contract, it makes sense for Indianapolis to still think about the future at the quarterback position. However, it doesn’t make sense for Indy to use prime Day-two picks to try and address that issue.
One reason this would be a mistake is the talent in this year’s quarterback class. It’s not believed to be that great. Chances are, Indy wouldn’t be drafting a guy with serious upside that could develop into the franchise quarterback.
Since that’s the case, it makes no sense to use a second or third-round pick that could be used on a player with more upside and immediate contributing potential.
Any quarterback selected won’t be seeing the field for the next two seasons at least. If the Colts draft a receiver or corner or nearly any other position, there’s a chance they could start immediately and impact winning next season.
If Indy wants to gamble on a quarterback, wait until the later rounds of Day 3, when most of the picks are gambles anyway. It makes no sense to select a player early with limited upside that isn’t going to play.
If the Colts fall into the trap of drafting a quarterback in the first three rounds it would likely be one of the biggest Draft mistakes they made in the last few years.
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