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Colts: 4 Quarterbacks Potentially the Face of the Franchise

The Indianapolis Colts will be selecting one of the big four quarterbacks in the 2023 NFL Draft. What do you need to know about each player?

Zach Hicks

The 2023 NFL Draft is finally (almost) here! The Indianapolis Colts are set to select their quarterback of the future at the top of the draft, the only question that remains is who that quarterback will be.

This quarterback crop in this draft is interesting (to say the least), as each player has their fair share of strengths and concerns. It is the job of the Colts, and other teams at the top of the draft, to properly rate those concerns and decide which player has the highest risk/reward potential.

So today, let's do a quick rundown of those top four quarterbacks and talk about them in some detail. This list isn't in any particular order, it's simply a list of the big four and what they bring to the table as a prospect.

C.J Stroud, Ohio State

Height: 6'3"

Weight: 214 pounds

Workout Numbers: N/A

Career Stats: 575 of 830 (69.3%) for 8,123 yards and 85 touchdowns with just 12 interceptions. 80 rushes for 136 yards and one touchdown.

Career Accolades:

  • Two-Time Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year
  • Two-Time Big Ten Quarterback of the Year
  • Big Ten Freshman of the Year (2021)
  • Two-Time All Big Ten First Team
  • Two-Time Heisman Trophy Finalist

Best Attribute: Ball Placement/Touch

This was a difficult category to pick for C.J Stroud, as he offers so many good attributes on film. He is a smart and decisive passer, but his precision is truly the best in the class. He understands how to throw players open, and this exact placement can lead to big gains for his receivers after the catch. He is also one of the best touch throwers that I have ever seen, as his deep ball seems to always float exactly where it needs to go down the field.

Area of Concern: Ability under Pressure

C.J Stroud is an accurate passer that is exceptional within structure, but there are some concerns with his game when he is under duress. Stroud was graded as the 97th ranked quarterback in college football, according to Pro Football Focus, this past season when under pressure (out of 141 players that qualified). PFF also charted him as completing just 41% of his passes when under duress and having a turnover play rate of 7.2%. The hope with drafting Stroud is that he can play more like he did in that Georgia game at the end of the year than he did for most of last season under pressure.

Quick Hitter: C.J Stroud is the cleanest quarterback prospect in this draft class. He is a precision passer with some mobility to boot. If he learns how to better identify and react to pressure in the NFL, he can be a plus starter in the league.

Anthony Richardson, Florida

Height: 6'4"

Weight: 244 pounds

Workout Numbers: 40 Yard Dash: 4.43 seconds / Vertical Jump: 40.5 inches / Broad Jump: 129 inches

Career Stats: 215 of 393 (54.7%) for 3,105 yards and 24 touchdowns with 15 interceptions. 161 rushes for 1,116 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Career Accolades:

  • All-SEC Freshman Team (2021)
  • SEC Academic Honor Roll (2021)

Best Attribute: Athleticism

Anthony Richardson is arguably the best athlete we've ever seen at the quarterback position. On top of being extremely explosive with some of the best top speed in the class, he is also built like a freight train and isn't afraid to run through defenders. This athletic ability helps him in the designed run game but also aids him in the pass game. He is a proficient scrambler and insanely strong in the pocket. His extremely low pressure-to-sack ratio (just 9.2%) is rare for a player with his ability to buy time in the pocket.

Area of Concern: Short Game Accuracy

Anthony Richardson's overall accuracy statistics, such as completion percentage, are concerning but the main area of worry within that is how he performed in the short game. He was relatively fine, accuracy wise, behind the line of scrimmage and on anything past 10 yards, but he really struggled in that 0-9 yard area. Pro Football Focus had him completing just 58% of his passes in this area of the field with five interceptions. The short game is mostly about timing and rhythm so this isn't too surprising for such a young player, but it is something that needs to be ironed out in the NFL.

Quick Hitter: Anthony Richardson has the tools to be the next successful alien at the quarterback position. He has a cannon arm and elite athleticism, he just needs more experience and training on the field. With the right coaching staff, he can be a superstar in the league (or a major bust with the wrong staff).

Bryce Young, Alabama

Height: 5'10"

Weight: 204 pounds

Workout Numbers: N/A

Career Stats: 624 of 949 (65.8%) for 8,356 yards and 80 touchdowns with just 12 interceptions. 139 rushes for 162 yards and 7 touchdowns.

Career Accolades:

  • Heisman Trophy Winner (2021)
  • Maxwell Award Winner (2021)
  • Davey O'Brien Award Winner (2021)
  • Manning Award Winner (2021)
  • All-SEC Second Team (2022)
  • All-SEC First Team (2022)

Best Attribute: Football IQ/Anticipation

Bryce Young has been tabbed as a football savant this offseason, and it is easy to see why on film. He throws with next-level anticipation and he diagnoses reads on the field with extreme ease. He constantly works his progressions and attacks leverages like a 10-year veteran at the position. He mastered Empty Theory under Bill O'Brien at Alabama, a style of offense that gave him full autonomy over how to dissect a defense.

Area of Concern: Lack of Physical Traits

Bryce Young is a major outlier in so many ways. He is historically small, in both height and weight, for the position. While many people will say that those things don't matter, they do show up on film. Young lacks the pocket strength and power to break through defenders when he is hit. He is a magician with his escapability, but he takes some huge hits to his smaller frame in the process. He also doesn't possess an elite arm or elite speed to offset this concern. Young is one of the smartest quarterbacks to ever come out, but his outlier physical traits will scare a lot of decision makers.

Quick Hitter: Bryce Young is the type of player where evaluators and coaches go to war with each other. He is an elite player on the whiteboard and in how he operates an offense, but he will scare some evaluators off with how many outlier physical traits he has. If anybody can overcome these concerns, it's Bryce Young.

Will Levis, Kentucky

Height: 6'4"

Weight: 229 pounds

Workout Numbers: Vertical Jump: 34 inches / Broad Jump: 124 inches

Career Stats: 479 of 738 (64.9%) for 5,876 yards and 46 touchdowns with 25 interceptions. 312 rushes for 742 yards and 17 touchdowns.

Career Accolades:

  • Two-Time All-SEC Academic Honor Roll

Best Attribute: Quick Release

Will Levis is a high-upside quarterback prospect that has one of the quickest releases that I have ever seen at the position. The ball explodes out of his hand with great velocity, and this is a major asset for a young passer. He can get himself out of trouble with his ability to get the ball out in a hurry, and this is a major plus in the short passing game. Levis has an extra second to diagnose a defense, compared to other quarterbacks, due to his ability to quickly explode through his throwing motion.

Area of Concern: Pocket Feel/Presence

Will Levis has some areas to clean up in his game but the biggest one is his overall presence in the pocket. He is a tough player in the face of pressure and understands how to avoid rushers that he can spot, but the issue is with him actually spotting those rushers. He has a tendency to get tunnel vision in the pocket, as he gets too stuck on what is happening down the field and loses track of what is happening around him. An effective edge rush can be fatal against him and he gets blindsided way too often by defenders from the outside. Levis needs to improve his overall feel in the pocket when he makes the jump to the NFL.

Quick Hitter: Will Levis is an intriguing, traitsy quarterback in this draft class that just never fully put it together in college. With the right coaching, and a scheme tailored to his strong points, he can be an effective starting quarterback in the league with the potential to be even more.

Need your fill on daily Colts' content? Head over to the Locked On Colts' YouTube channel where Jake Arthur and myself hit on all the major topics surrounding this team. Hit that subscribe button while you are there!

Follow Zach on Twitter @ZachHicks2.

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Zach Hicks
ZACH HICKS

Zach Hicks is the Lead Analyst for HorseshoeHuddle.com. Zach has been on the NFL beat since 2017. His works have appeared on SBNation.com, the Locked On Podcast Network, BleacherReport.com, MSN.com, & Yardbarker.com. 

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