'It's Bull----': Colts GM Chris Ballard Calls Out Negative Pre-Draft Stories On NFL Hopefuls

Despite questions of former Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback C.J. Stroud's character and cognitive processing abilities, he was selected No. 2 overall to the Houston Texans in the NFL Draft.

The pre-draft process for NFL hopefuls can be one filled with ups and downs, riding the highs of good combine and pro day performances and feeling the lows of question marks of character and commitment.

Former Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback C.J. Stroud in the weeks leading up to the draft had accusations of being "not an easy guy to coach," scoring an 18 percent on the S2 Test and having "ghosted" the Manning Passing Academy piled onto him. Despite all that, Stroud went on to be the No. 2 overall selection to the Houston Texans Thursday and the highest-ever Buckeye quarterback to be drafted.

Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard didn't mention Stroud by name and said he wasn't talking about his future quarterback in No. 4 overall pick Anthony Richardson, but much of what he said to the media in his post-draft press conference Thursday sounded like a defense of the Colts' new rival signal caller.

"All the crap that comes out about these kids, it's crap. Like, it's bull----. I'm sorry, but it's bull----," Ballard said. "People that leak these stories, these negative stories on kids, I don't agree with it. It's bull----."

#Colts GM Chris Ballard called out people who leak negative stories about prospects before the draft.

Would guess he's talking about what CJ Stroud had to go through.

(via @Colts/YouTube)pic.twitter.com/bQhtMTmAK1

— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) April 28, 2023

Ballard said players work hard to "get where they need to be," but have stories written about them which force them to have to also answer questions on the topics, like Stroud did Wednesday about the S2 Test.

"So, anyway, not on Anthony [Richardson], it's on some other kids in the draft that are good kids and I thought had to take a little bit of a beating that they shouldn't had to take," Ballard said.

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