As the 2023 NFL draft quickly approaches at the end of this month, the Indianapolis Colts are at the heart of it all, holding the role of tone-setters for the offseason’s biggest event.
Holding the No. 4 overall pick, the Colts have several avenues to consider. Selecting a quarterback prospect is one of those options. Another would be pulling off a blockbuster deal for Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, something they haven’t dismissed.
Our friends over at Touchdown Wire conducted their latest three-round mock draft and in it, the Colts pulled off a big trade. They signed Jackson to an offer sheet of a five-year deal worth $250 million with $200 million guaranteed. In the process, they trade the No. 4 overall pick and their 2024 first-rounder to the Ravens.
In this case, the Indianapolis Colts sign Jackson to a five-year, $250 million deal with $200 million guaranteed in a deal that gives Jackson all he wants up front, and the Colts with some reasonable wiggle room on the back end. Baltimore gets Indianapolis’ fourth overall pick in the 2023 draft, and whatever their first-round pick is in 2024.
It’s important to remember that mock drafts sometimes serve as exercises to see what would happen in a given scenario. It’s not always about projecting what will happen but sometimes looking at what could happen.
The contract is a big one, of course, and it’s likely what would give the Colts pause in making a deal like this. Sending the two first-round picks is a no-brainer.
So with Jackson essentially taking the spot of the No. 4 pick—of which the Ravens selected Anthony Richardson—the Colts were able to keep their second and third-round picks in the draft.
At No. 35 overall, they used the selection to bolster the wide receiver room by taking North Carolina’s Josh Downs.
An ideal slot option, Downs may be one of the more underrated prospects in this draft class. Despite his size (5’9, 171), Downs is explosive, fast, and brings nuance to his route running. He ran a pretty diverse route tree at North Carolina and his talent would immediately make him the WR3 behind Michael Pittman Jr. and Alec Pierce.
At No. 79 overall, it was time to add to the offensive line. The Colts did so in this mock draft by selecting offensive tackle Warren McClendon Jr. out of Georgia.
McClendon was a three-year starter for the Bulldogs and while he may be a bit on the lighter side, he has the length to stay on the edge if the Colts want him there. He also may be able to kick inside to guard but there are some questions about his overall play strength.
We don’t have any testing numbers on McClendon from the offseason so it’s difficult to gauge what kind of athletic upside he brings.
This mock draft would certainly cause some havoc. Even without addressing the cornerback position, the Colts would get their franchise quarterback while bolstering positions of need on what was a terrible offense in 2022.
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