The 2023 NFL Draft is just days away and it seems the Indianapolis Colts have a surprise quarterback prospect at the top of their board to take with the fourth pick in Thursday’s event.
The Indianapolis Colts entered the offseason with a very specific goal: Find a long-term answer at quarterback. The organization tried the veteran QB route with Phillip Rivers, Carson Wentz, and Matt Ryan for several years, but it didn’t deliver the results in the short term they were hoping for.
Now, following a tumultuous season that included a mid-year head coach change, the Indianapolis Colts and new head coach Shane Steichen have put in a whole bunch of work to see if the 2023 NFL Draft will have a franchise QB available when they are on the clock for the fourth overall pick.
Heading into the annual event, Bryce Young and CJ Stroud have been viewed as the top two signal-callers in this class, and Florida Gators star Anthony Richardson is seen as a project with unlimited potential. With the expectation that the Carolina Panthers will take Young with the top selection overall, there is a good chance the Colts could have the chance to take Stroud or Richardson at four.
- Will Levis stats (2022): 2,406 yards, 19 TD, 10 INT, 151.9 rating
Indianapolis Colts record (2022): 4-12-1, third place in AFC South
Yet, even if those talented QBs are available when it is time for the Indianapolis Colts to make a decision, it seems that neither may be their preferred option at the position. On Monday, ESPN NFL Draft expert and insider Todd McShay revealed a surprise bit of intel on which signal-caller the team is leaning toward in the 2023 NFL Draft.
“The Will Levis-Colts buzz is very real, folks. Indianapolis seems to be extremely intrigued by the Kentucky quarterback. In fact, if Levis is off the board, I’m not sure what the Colts do from there. The only information I’ve heard on them this week is they’re interested in Levis. Things could change, but that’s the latest buzz around the league, and [Draft insider] Matt Miller was hearing similar stuff at the end of last week.”
– Todd McShay
While Levis is seen as a talented QB, his numbers declined in several key categories last season compared to 2021, and he has consistently been seen as the fourth-best signal-caller in this year’s class. The Indianapolis Colts taking him at four or even trading up, as McShay suggests, is possible but it could be seen as a reach for the Kentucky star.