Re-ranking 5 prospective quarterbacks best suited for the Colts following Bowl season

The Indianapolis Colts are now sitting with the fifth overall pick in this year’s NFL draft and are in a prime position to draft their next franchise quarterback.

Heading into the final week of the NFL season, the Indianapolis Colts are sitting with the No. 5 spot in the draft with a 4-11-1 record. Depending on the outcome of the Week 18 game with the Houston Texans on Sunday, the Colts could jump to as high as picking third and as low as six.

It will take some minor miracles for the Colts to be drafting in the third position, behind the Chicago Bears and Houston Texans. However, if the Colts win this weekend against the Texans, they will fall to sixth unless the Los Angeles Rams defeat the Seattle Seahawks.

Either way, the draft will certainly provide the Colts with a potential roster-saving draft pick that could likely change the fate of the franchise.

So who will it be with the Colts’ first-round pick? In the last quarterback rankings a month ago, we highlighted five quarterbacks that were trending up for the Colts to select. How has that changed with the College Football Playoff and the Bowl season?

Out of the four teams currently sitting in front of the Colts in the draft order, only the Texans need to draft a quarterback this year. The Seahawks may opt to draft a quarterback if they want to go that route, but if they believe that Geno Smith is their guy, they may trade or go with the best player available.

The Bears and Arizona Cardinals are prime trade targets for a team that wants to get ahead of the Colts to select a quarterback. The Detroit Lions are now sitting at the sixth draft position, and could also take a quarterback if they feel as if Jared Goff does not have what it takes for continued success. However, Goff has been one of the top-rated passers since Week 10.

Spoiler: There is one quarterback on the list that is still playing college football this season.

Could the Colts take Anthony Richardson early?

Do you have whiplash from Colts twitter with the next craze on who the fans want to draft? There has been C.J. Stroud, then Will Levis, then Anthony Richardson, and now back to C.J. Stroud.

So why does Richardson fall to the fifth-spot in the rankings after the Bowl games? Florida finished their season at 6-7 and Richardson did not provide enough power to get them to a winning record and he didn’t play in the team’s Bowl game. Without him, the Florida Gators got blown out in their 30-3 loss to No. 14 Oregon State in the SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl.

Florida’s only win this season against a ranked opponent came against No. 7 Utah in the first week of the season. It has been such a rough season for the Gators and above-average quarterback play should have vaulted the team further than a final 6-7 record.

With all of that being said, Richardson does have the skills to extend plays and run the ball, which is a route the NFL is going. However, similar to Justin Fields, he struggles with finding accuracy down the field.

Richardson’s arm strength will never be a question mark, but the accuracy is really what is sticking to Richardson, being a developmental quarterback at best during his rookie season. Drafting Richardson will require a bridge quarterback so Richardson can learn how quick the NFL is and adjust his play to an NFL offense.

Honorable Mention: Hendon Hooker, Tennessee (previously ranked: 4th)

Has Max Duggan played himself into a draft pick?

At the beginning of the 2022 season, Max Duggan was not the starting quarterback for the TCU Horned Frogs. He was backing up Chandler Morris, but in Week 2, entered the game due to an injury. Max could have been serviceable for the Horned Frogs, but he has led the team not only to the College Football Playoff but to the National Championship against No. 1 Georgia. Duggan was also named a Heisman finalist, losing to USC quarterback Caleb Williams.

Duggan’s offense will need to be set on the RPO, which could work effectively in Indianapolis with Jonathan Taylor in the backfield and Michael Pittman Jr. running slant routes. If you want to take it over the top, you have the receivers that can make that happen.

The Colts would get a quarterback that is not afraid to air it out vertically and get the ball down the field, where he has a fearless trait.

However, the main concern for Duggan as an NFL quarterback is the ability to read a defense post-snap. He seems to throw the ball into holes that could be intercepted easily, but the receiver gets up and makes the play.

Duggan will need to be bailed out of throws by athletic receivers, who the Colts do have. If Indianapolis does select Duggan, it will likely be in rounds 3-5 and not with a top-10 pick. If the Colts take the best player available with their first pick, Duggan can become an option later in the draft.

Will the Colts draft Will Levis?

What is sending Will Levis up the draft board this season that has him projected as a top-five pick in the draft? Could be the fact that he has shown that he is a born leader in football locker rooms after being named the captain in his first season. It could be the fact that he fits the stereotypical mold of an NFL quarterback, as well.

Levis has the big arm and strong frame to shrug off defenders, which you want to see in a quarterback. His throws have also gotten smoother throughout the season which has elevated his play and draft stock. Kentucky might produce one of the only quarterbacks in the draft that is ready for a starting position in a pro-style offense. So why is he not being considered the top quarterback in the draft if he has all of the tangibles?

The concerns with Levis are his mechanics when pressured. He tends to bail to the right to get a throw off when he senses too much pressure instead of stepping up into the pocket. In an Indy offense, this could be a problem if the Colts are not able to improve the offensive line play.

Levis seems to not read all of the field during plays, creating issues with his own offensive line, and hurting him in the long run. Will must see the open receiver before he will throw it, which could be another issue if the receivers do not have a huge separation on the defenders.

Levis also has some down-the-field issues with accuracy, as he will just put the ball down the field to get it there, rather than delivering an accurate, catchable ball.

Could Will Levis become the next Zach Wilson, showing strides at the end of the season, having a good pro day, and then not do anything well after being drafted? Hopefully not, especially if the Colts draft him with a first-round pick.

Will the Colts be high enough for Bryce Young?

Bryce Young has been an exceptional quarterback for the Alabama Crimson Tide. He’s done so well that he is touted as the top quarterback in the draft and projected to go first overall to the Houston Texans. The quarterback finished as the ninth-ranked player in passing efficiency, behind players like C.J. Stroud, Hendon Hooker, Caleb Williams, and Bo Nix.

Young is a high-IQ quarterback that can make the reads before and after the snap and make quick decisions with the football. An instinctual quarterback, Young is able to break out of the pocket when he knows things are breaking down and he needs to extend the play.

Accuracy is one of the strongest attributes that Young possesses, which is what you want to see In a franchise quarterback. He’s even able to throw the ball from multiple arm angles, using a side release to make the play when it’s needed.

Concerns around Young extend down the field, where he does not like to get the ball. Whether It’s because he doesn’t trust his receivers, or he is looking for the perfect pass, Young does not get the ball down the field often.

He has an arm to get the ball 40-50 yards down the field, but oftentimes, the ball will begin to taper off because he wants the perfect pass and does not risk overthrowing the receiver. If he can figure out this final concept in an NFL offense, Young will be a great talent in the NFL.

Will C.J. Stroud end up a Colt?

Probably one of the strongest arms in the draft, C.J. Stroud is a top-10 talent and top-three quarterback in this year’s NFL draft. Although, there are some saying that he may end up being developed in the first year and not getting a real chance to start until year two.

Stroud has the arm talent and has led one of the most dynamic offenses in the country in the last two seasons. He has a very high football IQ that is able to identify weak coverages and test man coverage. One of the more impressive things about Stroud is that he can command an offense from the line of scrimmage and adjust where needed. That is the kind of leader that you need on and off the field, and Stroud appears that he has all of the ability to do so.

For as dynamic of a passer as Stroud is, he needs to improve his footwork to become a more consistent pass thrower. He sits on his toes in the pocket and does not get his feet completely set to throw the most accurate pass, which could be a concern for NFL teams.

There is also a lot of wasted movement at the top of the pocket which can lead to fumbles and mistakes early in his career.

However, because he is able to move in the pocket, C.J. can extend plays for big plays that matter in games.

Stroud is going to need to learn quickly if he wants to pick up an NFL offense early and get started right away. If the Colts select C.J. Stroud in the first round, they may need to ensure that there is a bridge quarterback in place to start the season off, similar to how Justin Fields had Nick Foles, and Andy Dalton.

Could this be where the Colts keep Matt Ryan and/or Nick Foles to allow Stroud to learn behind them?

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