Todd McShay’s first mock draft is here and he has the Colts going in an interesting direction
NFL Draft analyst, Todd McShay, shared his first 2023 mock draft, and he has the Indianapolis Colts making an interesting selection.
There are four weeks remaining in the regular season of the NFL. That means soon, 14 teams will be preparing for a playoff run and 18 other teams will start focusing on the future. A big part of that future is the 2023 NFL Draft. With the draft in focus, it’s time for mock draft season. On Tuesday, Todd McShay, ESPN’s senior NFL Draft analyst, released his first mock draft of the season.
For the Indianapolis Colts, they’ll actually be involved on the first day of the draft this year. Not only that, but Indy is currently on pace to have a top-10 pick and is moving closer to the No. 1 pick each week of the season. This trajectory is giving many fans the hope that the Colts will be able to select a promising young quarterback and give Indy a level of talent and stability at the position that the team hasn’t had in a while.
Unfortunately, that’s not the direction McShay has Indianapolis going in. With the No. 7 pick in this first mock draft, McShay sees the Colts selecting Peter Skoronski, an offensive tackle from Northwestern.
Colts select an offensive lineman in Todd McShay’s mock draft
Obviously, most fans would be hoping to come away with a quarterback but McShay believes No. 7 is a bit too late to get one of the top QBs this year. By the time the Colts are on the clock in this mock draft, Bryce Young, CJ Stroud, and Will Levis are already gone. McShay argues, “Everyone knows Indy needs a quarterback, but it
shouldn’t be reaching for the fourth-best passer in the class at No. 7.” So, Indy goes with something else it desperately needs: an offensive tackle.
Watch any Colts games this season and it’s clear that they need help up front; Peter Skoronski could be that help. McShay has Skoronski as the first lineman off the board and praises his quickness, technique, and run-blocking ability. His combination as a good pass protector and run blocker is why McShay believes he’s a good fit for Indy. The Colts like to run the ball, so it’s important to find someone who can do both.
While this would be a good selection, the biggest question remains, what will Indianapolis do about the quarterback position? Does the team try to trade into the first round for a second pick and take someone like Anthony Richardson or Hendon Hooker? Will Indy just ride with Matt Ryan or some other veteran for another season and jump into the Caleb Williams sweepstakes? Who knows. The Colts’ best bet may be tanking their way through these last four games to get into the top five so they can select a quarterback.
