The Athletic has ongoing coverage of the NFL Draft. Follow our NFL Draft Round 4-7 online blog and round 2-3 victors and losers, round 2 grades as well as best available Ballard could not run from it. He could not Colts' 2022 period was a calamity, and when it mercifully came to an end, the group's general manager did the only point he could-- he owned " Look, I fell short, " Ballard claimed in January, disclosing a chink in his typically impervious attitude. "I'm not mosting likely to stay up below as well as make reasons. I fell short a great deal of individuals." Ballard's gradually returned to his normal self in the months considering that: Cool, gathered and certain. He recognizes the stress is as high as it's ever before been as he enters his seventh period with the team-- especially given that the Colts have the NFL Draft's No. 4 pick and will presumably use it on a quarterback Thursday-- however he won't show 's consistently mentioned at each offseason turn that he as well as Indianapolis are in a good place, and also they will not be pigeonholed into a decision on their following signal-caller, no matter the QB turnover they have actually withstood given that Andrew Luck retired in 2019. Ballard doubled down on that in March when there was supposition the Colts would trade up to No. 1, a move Carolina at some point made instead. He stood high once more last week, disregarding the notion that his group has zeroed in on any of the four projected first-round what happens if this isn't an act?What if the player Ballard has considered all along will still exist at No. 4 or perhaps No. 3 if the Colts choose to trade up?And what happens if it isn't Kentucky's Will Levis or Florida's Anthony Richardson?What if it's Ohio State's C.J. Stroud?Alabama's Bryce Young is the presumed No. 1 pick for Carolina, however at his size, he never fit the Ballard mold anyway. Houston was expected almost all offseason to then pick Stroud at No. 2, though that idea has changed within the last week. There are rumblings of the Texans handing down a QB entirely and perhaps picking Alabama side rush Will certainly DEEPERColts 2023 mock draft 3.0: Indy translucents the smokescreen, picks Anthony RichardsonIf that were to happen-- and also it's still a significant if-- Ballard can potentially nab Stroud, the second-rated QB in this year's class, according to The Athletic's draft analyst Dane Brugler, as well as possibly even the leading pet dog in Ballard's " You desire a guy who's obtained a rapid mind who's accurate, " Ballard claimed at the looking integrate. "Like, we obtain captured up in arm strength, yet is that man precise?" Stroud former Buckeye completed 66.3 percent of his passes in 2022, the highest mark of any one of the 4 projected first-round QBs, and posted a 69.3 completion percentage for his profession as a two-year starter in Columbus." I'm a ball-placement specialist, " Stroud stated at the hunting combine. "I such as to be extremely exact. I don't desire my receivers needing to do anything truly to catch the ball. As well as I think I've revealed that time as well as time again) on film." New Colts head coach Shane Steichen believes accuracy can be boosted in the NFL, evidenced by the dive Jalen Hurts made when Steichen was the Eagles' offending planner in 2021 as well as 2022 Hurts' completion portion increased from 61.3 to 66.5). That belief can make Steichen push Ballard to select Richardson or Levis, that are more physically talented than Stroud. Nonetheless, Stroud is currently accurate and checks both various other boxes Steichen stated he seeks in a quarterback: "decision-making and also the capability to develop." Stroud tossed 85 touchdowns against 12 interceptions at Ohio State, confirming he's an audio decision-maker. The greatest knocks on him are that he had a hard time when the pocket broke and also waited to use his legs to make plays. But the 21-year-old's efficiency against Georgia in the University Football Playoff, albeit one game, showed flashes of what he can do as a runner." I didn't do it a great deal in university as well as I really felt like I ought to've, " Stroud stated of using his legs. "It's something I do be sorry for. I really feel like I can've done it a great deal a lot more, however I believe if you switch on the movie and you actually view what I do and also you really check out the movie game-to-game https://www.gamedayhoustontexans.com/collections/steven-nelson-jersey, I have utilized my athleticism, not only just in the Georgia video game. I've had difficult third-down runs. I have actually had tough fourth-down runs." NFL Network draft expert Daniel Jeremiah thinks Stroud is in a higher tier than Levis and Richardson, despite the questions about his flexibility, so he states it would be a piece of cake for the Colts to select him if he is up to No. 4. Promotion" For my job and also my role as well as what I do viewing these individuals on tape and also studying them, I assumed there was a gap in between Stroud and the following group), " Jeremiah claimed in a Zoom call last week. "If I remain in a company where we have actually been on the quarterback carousel, the expert
carousel, and also this is the draft we have determined as the one where we're mosting likely to attempt and take our swing, I intend to guarantee that I get the individual that I really, actually like." Jeremiah also would not think twice to trade approximately No. 3 for Stroud, making sure that an additional team wouldn't leapfrog the Colts. According to Pro Football Reference's draft choice worth chart, the No. 3 choice is valued at 2, 200 factors and also the No. 4 choice deserves 1, 800 points. To compose the 400-point distinction, Indianapolis could sweeten the trade pot with its third-round pick this year worth 195 factors and a 2024 third-rounder. However https://www.gamedayhoustontexans.com/collections/nick-bawden-jersey, Jeremiah isn't certain it'll cost that much if the Cardinals are dead collection on drafting a protective stud like Anderson or Texas Technology edge Tyree Wilson, who might not be available if Arizona trades also much back." To be honest with you, I would do it for one) third-round choice, " Jeremiah said. "If the Colts supplied a third-round choice to move up one place, if you don't have any kind of various other offers, if that's the only offer that you had and also you're Arizona, you would be a fool not to take it. You're going to get the exact same gamer you're mosting likely to take at three. You're going to obtain the exact same precise man at four." GO DEEPERColts NFL Draft 2023 overview: Picks, forecasts as well as essential needsRelinquishing added draft funding certainly isn't perfect taking into consideration the other glaring holes in the Colts' roster, but that will certainly look like a discount rate if Ballard is sold on Stroud and also he ends up being Indy's following superstar quarterback after Peyton Manning and also course, this can all be wishful thinking, and also as Ballard put it, "Everyone is lying, " this moment of year. When the draft starts Thursday, the smoke billowing from Houston will ultimately clear, the reality will be exposed and also the Colts will certainly enter a brand-new era. This could be Ballard's last opportunity to obtain it right-- with Stroud or an additional rookie passer-- throughout a largely ineffective seven-year tenure. If he is, he'll have every right to brag for several years to come regarding the patience he showed this offseason. Picture: Frank Jansky/ Icon Sportswire via Getty Images).