Colts GM Chris Ballard makes not-so-glamorous list ahead of NFL Draft

With the 2023 NFL Draft right around the corner, there's a ton of pressure on Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard.

Let us state the obvious here: the pressure is on for Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard. With the Colts posting their 4-12-1 record last season, plenty of people have started to lose hope in the GM. However, bringing in Shane Steichen as new head coach has folks excited once again.

This only adds to the importance of getting things right in the upcoming NFL Draft. Who will Indy pick with the No. 4 overall pick? We can't wait to find out. Ballard must get things right. If he doesn't, the decision could come back to haunt him.

In a new piece from Sports Illustrated's Conor Orr, he didn't say that Ballard is necessarily on the hot season, but he did list him among the GMs under the most pressure to get things right later this month.

Colts GM Chris Ballard has pressure on him ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft

""The beauty of where the Colts are sitting is they have a chance to come away with a special player who can use Minshew as a shield to get prepared. Imagine, for example, if what we thought in December holds: Anthony Richardson is sitting on the board. In Shane Steichen’s offense, he could be a legitimate star. That would take a little bit of pressure off Ballard in 2024.""
- SI's Conor Orr

After the Matt Ryan experiment could not have gone much worse, it's time for the Colts to fix the QBs room as soon as possible. Signing Gardner Minshew, aka the Mississippi Mustache, was a great start for the Colts and Ballard. However, a true QB1 for the future is still needed. Enter Anthony Richardson?

Plenty of NFL Mock Drafts have linked Richardson with a move to the AFC South to suit up for Steichen. Richardson has seen his stock explode after a tremendous showing at the NFL Combine, which was followed by his showcase at his Pro Day.

The expectation is that C.J. Stroud will go No. 1, Bryce Young No. 2, Will Anderson Jr. No. 3 and then Richardson will hear his name called by the Colts at No. 4. Ballard will receive plenty of praise for that pick, if it goes down. Richardson has a bright future and his play could determine how long Ballard stays with the Colts - if he picks him, of course.

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