Ranking the top quarterback options for the Colts in 2023

The Indianapolis Colts are in desperate need of a quarterback, and between the draft and free agency, there are a lot of options. Who’s the best option?

With the Indianapolis Colts not having a visible starter at the start of April, the Colts are in desperate need to get this right. This will be the eighth season in a row with a new starting quarterback in Week 1. The end has to be near, right? Indianapolis is poised to get a quarterback that will be the face of the franchise for the next decade. The Colts just need to get it right this time around and make sure they get the quarterback they want, not just another player ready for retirement that is trying to prove they can still play.

But who, is the question? Does Indy draft a quarterback with the fourth pick in the draft? Does the team trade back and go after someone later? Will Indianapolis stay at No. 4, draft the best player available and wait another year for Drake Maye or Caleb Williams?

I can only imagine the riots on social media if the Colts were to not select a franchise quarterback in the draft on April 27. Indianapolis, and most importantly, Chris Ballard must get this right. Ballard has stated he's never gotten to pick his quarterback in the draft and this is his chance.

We've ranked the quarterbacks eligible in the draft a few times, most recently following the NFL Combine. But what if the quarterback for the Colts wasn't on the list before? What if the quarterback for the Colts already has experience in the league? Let's look at each scenerio.

Could Hendon Hooker be the Colts dream player?

Hendon Hooker has been on this list before, as high as No. 4, but he fell off quickly after his ACL tear late in the college season that sidelined him through the remainder of his college career. Hooker was available for interviews at the combine, but obviously did not work out.

For the longest time, Hooker was seen as a day two or three draft pick to a team that could allow him to sit while they have the player they need right now. Now, Hooker is finding his name in first round mock drafts, partially because of the hype that Mike Tannenbaum has generated by mocking him fifth-overall to the Seattle Seahawks. Is he worth a first round pick? Is he worth a top-five pick in the draft even? Probably not, but the Colts could draft him in the second if he's available.

Going this route is risky. If Indy passes up on the top four quarterbacks in the draft to go for Hendon in the second round, what happens if he gets selected earlier?

Will Levis is falling out of contention for the Colts

Will Levis was a viable option just a few months ago, but with the rise of other quarterbacks in the draft, Will Levis is no longer a dream option for most. In fact, Will Levis seems to be the last option that many would like to be suiting up for the Colts next year.

There is no doubt that Levis has a strong arm that can get the ball down the field deep, but can he lead a team for a decade and longer? Does he have everything else it takes to excel at quarterback in the NFL? If not, can Levis pick up these things?

Levis is ready to play in Week 1, or at least that is what he said following his Pro Day.

So if he has the arm, the talent, and supposedly leadership that a locker room needs, why is he not considered the top pick in the draft for the Colts? Indianapolis did attend the Kentucky Pro Day, but they only sent the Midwest Area Scout, Mike Lacy, to evaluate Levis as the next franchise QB.

That should be telling enough that the Colts sent just the local area scout. In my eyes, Levis is not an option for Indy unless things really go wrong with picks 1-3.

Bryce Young continues to slide down the board

Once at the top of this ranking, Bryce Young's slide continues into April, just before the draft. Young has always been a long shot with the Colts, considering the team sits with the fourth pick. It is widely speculated that the Houston Texans would draft Young at pick No. 2.

But even if he were to fall past two and be available at pick No. 4, should Indy take him? Likely yes, because the top two quarterbacks the Colts will be after won't be there anymore. If Young falls to the fourth pick, both C.J. Stroud and Anthony Richardson have already been selected.

Bryce Young can pinpoint passes down the field as he has the best accuracy in this draft. Is that what the Colts are looking for after watching years of Peyton Manning and Andrew Luck? Or do they just need someone to get the ball down the field for a 50/50 ball where Michael Pittman Jr. and Alec Pierce can win the fight?

Young has competed against the best schools in college football being at one of the top schools in the top conference. But will his size translate to the NFL? Drew Brees is a future Hall-of-Fame quarterback that won a Super Bowl, but he measured at 6-foot-1" at the combine. Bryce Young was 5-10-1/8th" at the combine.

Young could be a great player in the NFL, but will the Colts want him in the draft? Is he good enough to move up and try to secure him as a top-three pick? Probably not.

Is Lamar's contract dispute worth the Colts taking on?

Everyone in the world knows of Lamar Jackson and the impact he has had on the Baltimore Ravens franchise. Could he become the next Indianapolis quarterback and propel the Colts from a bottom feeder into one of the AFC's top teams?

Lamar would make Indy the top team in the AFC South, while being able to play with the best skill positions he's had on a roster ever. The RPO game would be top-notch with both Lamar and Jonathan Taylor, and he'd have weapons that can run both slants and down the field.

The issue with Lamar Jackson, and the main reason teams have not bought into the idea, is that he can be quite expensive for your new franchise quarterback.

The Ravens have franchise tagged him with the non-exclusive tag, which just means a team can make an offer to Lamar directly, and the Ravens have the chance to match the offer. If the Ravens decline, then the team would send two first-round picks to the Ravens for Lamar.

Lamar has stated several different things, but most recently has noted that he doesn't want the contract to be fully guaranteed. He just wants more guaranteed money than Deshaun Watson got last offseason.

Is that a price Indianapolis is willing to commit, in addition to two first-round picks, or would Indy just rather gamble on a rookie?

C.J. Stroud is impressing more than just the Indianapolis Colts

C.J. Stroud is currently projected to be the first-overall pick in this year's NFL Draft. The Carolina Panthers sent 11 people to the Ohio State pro day to scout Stroud to get a sense of what they could be looking at with the first pick.

If for some reason Stroud drops past the first pick and again the second pick. I'd expect a team to make the trade up to three to take him if the Colts do not. Pete Carroll was one in attendance at the Ohio State pro day and the Seattle Seahawks currently hold the fifth pick. Could they leap frog Indianapolis to take him?

Do the Colts have serious interest in Stroud though? The team elected to send one representitive to the pro day, and that was area scout Mike Lacy. No Chris Ballard, no Shane Steichen, no Jim Irsay.

To be fair, those three didn't attend any of the college pro days either. The three are very big on the fact that you should be watching film, not underwear olympics.

Stroud did have a good pro day, so if the Colts somehow were able to draft him and he turns into the franchise quarterback that saves the organization, Mike Lacy will be looking at some really nice job offers next year.

Anthony Richardson has the wow factor the Colts need

Anthony Richardson's climb to stardom during this process has been the largest with the top four quarterbacks in this draft. Once considered a late-first or early-second round pick, has now risen to a top three, if not the top pick in this draft.

Richardson has improved from the end of the season, to the combine, and then again at the Florida pro day. His passes at his pro day, while scripted, looked to have improved on his short game accuracy. That was the main concern for him at the combine, as the physical traits and deep ball were never questioned.

Richardson has the real opportunity to be the best quarterback in the draft. If he gets paired up with newly acquired head coach Shane Steichen, the league could be on notice.

But like always, what do the Colts think about him as a prospect for the draft? They showed their entire hand, by not sending just a local area scout. They sent Morocco Brown, the Chief Personnel Executive to scout Richardson. This is generally only done when the Colts are really eyeing someone.

Richardson finally had his official visit with the Colts following his pro day and was invited to Indianapolis for a top 30 visit. Signs are pointing towards the Colts drafting Richardson in this year's draft. But will they need to trade up to acquire him?

READ MORE: Reggie Wayne sends a message to fans about Lamar Jackson