The Indianapolis Colts are still narrowing down their finalists to make a decision on selecting their new head coach, but the 2023 NFL draft preparation is well underway.
Following the Senior Bowl, our friends over at Draft Wire put together an updated three-round mock draft. In this edition, the Colts stayed put at No. 4 overall, which means they had other picks to work with rather than trading them away to get the first overall pick.
Here’s how that mock draft went:
Round 1 | No. 4 overall
The Pick: QB C.J. Stroud, Ohio State
Probably one of the most popular picks surrounding the Colts this offseason. It wouldn’t be a surprise at all if Stroud was at the top of the Colts’ draft board, but we may not know until the night arrives.
Here’s what Luke Easterling had to say about making this pick in the mock draft:
“This pick has to be a quarterback, whether the Colts trade up to No. 1 or stay here. Kentucky’s Will Levis will get some consideration here, but Stroud is easily the more complete, pro-ready prospect, with a level of polish that should allow him to be successful as a Week 1 starter in his rookie season.”
Stroud seems to check a lot of the boxes that Chris Ballard wants in a quarterback and while the head coach will certainly have some input, the Ohio State product seems to be a pretty clean prospect overall.
Round 2 | No. 35 overall
The Pick: OT Jaelyn Duncan, Maryland
One of the biggest needs for the Colts this offseason is adding depth to the offensive line. Whether that means bringing in some competition for Bernhard Raimann at left tackle or adding to the interior, it’s a major necessity for Indy.
Here’s what Keith Sanchez of The Draft Network said about Duncan in his scouting report:
“Overall, Ducan is a prospect with a great amount of upside due to his natural physical tools and movement ability, but there are technical parts of his game that he needs to improve upon to be able to play at a high level consistently.”
Duncan was a standout at the Senior Bowl, working both at left and right tackle. He measured in at 6-foot-5 and 298 pounds with 33 1/2-inch arms. Whether he will stay on the outside remains to be seen, but he’s an intriguing athlete with developmental skills.
Round 3 | No. 79 overall (from WAS)
The Pick: CB Kyu Blu Kelly, Stanford
With the selection they received from the Washington Commanders in the Carson Wentz trade, the Colts added some depth to the cornerback room. Kelly is an intriguing prospect with developmental traits to be an outside cornerback.
Here’s what Damian Parson of The Draft Network said in his scouting report about Kelly:
“Overall, Blu Kelly projects as an outside/field cornerback. I do believe there is upside to move into the slot if the matchup warrants it. He is a press-man-style corner that excels getting his hands on the receiver and staying hip to hip. There is upside to develop or become a CB1 for a defense. There is potential for him to become a shadow cornerback, following a wide receiver across formations. The physical tools/traits and coverage abilties garner day one or two consideration for the draft.”
The Colts cornerback room currently has talent, but we don’t know if Kenny Moore II will be a part of the future. If he’s not, the front office will certainly need to add some depth on the outside, especially with Stephon Gilmore in a contract year.
