Ranking quarterback prospects for Colts based on fit for Shane Steichen

Who will the Indianapolis Colts select with the 4th-overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft now that Shane Steichen is the head coach?

With newly hired head coach Shane Steichen in Indianapolis, how much has the quarterback rankings shifted based on his coaching style? Shane has coached some well-recognized quarterbacks in recent years. The last three quarterbacks were Philip Rivers and Justin Herbert in Los Angeles and then Jalen Hurts in Philadelphia.

Three different playing styles, all of which succeeded, including a trip to Super Bowl LVII. What could Steichen bring to the table with a new playing style for a rookie QB? Having the ability to draft his own quarterback right out of the gate may be a big reason why he took the position. So who will he go for?

There are several different options out there that could be taken in the top five of the draft and even options available if the Colts elect to trade back into the first round. Does Shane go with a mobile QB like Hurts, a game manager like Rivers was late in his career, or a big-arm talent like Herbert?

As we approach draft season, it’s time to take a deeper dive into the top 5 QBs that best fit the Colts in this year’s draft.

Many things will need to fail for Hendon Hooker to be a Colt in 2023

We all know that Peyton Manning endorsed Hendon Hooker as one of the top quarterbacks before his ACL tear injury that sidelined him for the remainder of the season. His injury and age combined makes Hooker a risky project piece to add to a team that needs a quarterback now. Alas, someone had to make the fifth spot in the rankings, and I could not in good conscience put Max Duggan back in the top five after his horrible loss in the National Championship.

Hooker has the ability to extend plays by getting out of the pocket and can become a rusher. Maybe not quite as effective of a rusher as we saw in the Super Bowl with Jalen Hurts, but certainly much better than Matt Ryan and Philip Rivers.

Hooker could be a valuable addition in the later rounds if the Colts end up missing on the top four quarterbacks in this draft early. If a team jumps the Colts and a QB comes off in each of the first three picks again this year, the Colts could find themselves trading back to get more draft capital.

But there is still one option on the board if even the worst-case scenario happens, but is QB4 worth the 4th pick in the draft?

Will Levis’ draft stock fell a little in Indianapolis

The Will Levis train is slowing down lately with the hire of Shane Steichen and that could be good. There was a legitimate fear that Levis would skyrocket up the draft board similar to how Zach Wilson did a couple of years ago with an impressive pre-draft evaluation period.

Levis doesn’t really fit well into a Steichen offense other than the ability to lead a locker room. The Colts have plenty of leaders on the team already and really just need someone to come out and perform on the field. Will’s inaccuracies down the field and the almost lack of ability to extend plays in a different way will hurt his stock in Indianapolis, but I’m sure he will do well when he gets drafted by Frank Reich in Carolina.

What Will Levis does have though is an absolute arm to get the ball down the field. That’s great if you have the receivers that can get there in time, which is something the Colts are lacking right now. Indy has contested-catch receivers in Michael Pittman Jr. and Alec Pierce but not speedsters that can take the top off of a defense.

Levis is also a strong runner and that ability coupled with his big arm has drawn him comparisons to Buffalo Bills quarterback, Josh Allen. However, Steichen explained that when looking for a quarterback he values accuracy, decision-making, ability to create, and an obsession with winning. Levis’ powerful running may not be enough to overcome where he lacks in over areas.

Anthony Richardson is drawing a crowd of supporters in Indy

It seems like many Colts fans are back on the Anthony Richardson hype to get him in Indianapolis. His ability to use his legs to extend plays and break out of the pocket to run is what many are looking at, hoping that the Colts could get a glimpse of a Jalen Hurts-style offense. It’s hard not to make the comparisons. Could Richardson be that guy for Steichen in the Colts’ new-look offense? Why not?

Richardson is tall and has the frame to take a hit if needed. In 2022, he rushed for 654 yards with nine touchdowns and then threw for over 2,500 yards with a 17:9 touchdown to interception ratio. He’s certainly an intriguing prospect with maybe the highest ceiling considering all of his physical tools.

Florida didn’t do entirely great last season but that doesn’t mean Richardson is a joke by any means. Indianapolis should know what poor coaching can do to a team. Additionally, Richardson is just 21 years old and has a ton of room to develop as a passer, so his potential is exciting.

From a physical standpoint, Richardson has a cannon for an arm, the speed to get by defenders, and the frame to get through them, too. He is almost the perfect package but will take some time to develop. Good thing the Colts just hired a coach that has done a great job at developing quarterbacks. Is Indy willing to draft Richardson and be patient with him?

Is C.J. Stroud still favorable for the Colts?

The answer is yes. C.J. Stroud is still my favorite pick for the Colts at this point as his size and athletic ability are superior to the other options with the 4th pick. However, with what Jim Irsay said about “the kid from Alabama” in the press conference introducing the new head coach, makes you question where the Colts are looking. Did the Colts just show their hand or was that planned?

Knowing Irsay, that was showing him showing his hand as he has always been very vocal about the Colts. C.J. falls down one spot here as it looks like the team is looking at Young. To be honest, Stroud could likely be the first quarterback off the board, which likely means that the Colts will see him twice a year for a long time.

If the Texans decide to go with another option at quarterback, I’d like to see Stroud in a Colts uniform in 2023. As I said, Stroud has tremendous size and has shown that he’s great from the pocket as a passer. He also has the athletic ability to run the ball and he could develop into even more of a dual-threat quarterback under Steichen in the NFL.

While he has been criticized by some for refusing to run at times or not extending plays like he’s capable of doing, he showed against Georgia in the College Football Playoff that he has the ability to do all those things. If he got coached up by Shane Steichen, C.J. Stroud could be special for Indianapolis.

Jim Irsay is speaking Bryce Young to Colts into existence

If Jim Irsay said it, it likely should be taken with a grain of salt – sometimes. Last year, the Colts owner said “all chips in” when talking about the Colts getting back to the playoffs, and that did not happen at all. Did that phrase mean that they were going all-in to get a rookie quarterback in this draft? Maybe. Is that rookie quarterback going to be Bryce Young? Probably.

Bryce Young could fall to the fourth spot because of his size, and that would be ideal for Indianapolis because his accuracy is the best in the class. Some have argued that Will Levis is the QB1 in this draft and the rest will say that Young is QB1 by a mile. So Indy should be set up well if they landed Young.

Where do Colts fans stand with that assessment, though? Bryce does not compare to Jalen Hurts in the slightest. Where Jalen was a great rusher at Alabama and Oklahoma, Bryce is that with the passing game. Young is intelligent with the football and can put the ball into windows where only his receiver can get the ball. It’s been a while since the Colts have seen a quarterback with that much football IQ, and it’ll be weird to see someone play at that level again.

In Young’s 380 passing attempts in 2023, he threw for 3,328 yards, 32 touchdowns, and just five interceptions. Those are pretty decent stats for the young quarterback. Aside from his size, he’s the ideal quarterback, so it will be interesting to see how the Colts and other teams evaluate Bryce Young.

Ranking the available free agent wide receivers for Colts in 2023

The Indianapolis Colts can still use help at wide receiver and they can find that help in free agency with one of these wide receivers.