Indianapolis Colts select Anthony Richardson in highly anticipated NFL draft QB pick
The Indianapolis Colts made their move for a quarterback they hope can end the franchise's cycle of instability at the position.
On Thursday night, the Colts selected Florida's Anthony Richardson with the No. 4 pick in the first round of the NFL draft. Richardson was the third quarterback selected after Alabama's Bryce Young went No. 1 overall to the Carolina Panthers and Ohio State's C.J. Stroud went No. 2 to the Houston Texans.
In the weeks leading up to the draft, general manager Chris Ballard offered little insight into the team's intentions. But he said in January that he would "do whatever it takes" to find a franchise quarterback after last year's 4-12-1 campaign, which included the midseason firing of coach Frank Reich.
"We understand the importance of the position," Ballard said. "To get one that you can win with and to be right is the most important thing -- not if we take one or not. It's being right."
Matt Ryan floundered in his lone season as a starter after being acquired via trade in March, posting the second-lowest quarterback rating (83.9) of his 15-year career while throwing 13 interceptions and leading the NFL with 15 fumbles.
One year after the team's experiment with Carson Wentz went awry, Ballard said the reliance on finding a different veteran in each of the previous three offseasons had taken a toll.
"Looking back on it, when you're changing quarterbacks every year, it's tough," Ballard said. "It's tough on everybody. It's tough on the team. Not getting that position settled has a little something to do with (the team's record)."
Richardson proved to be one of the more polarizing prospects during the pre-draft process as evaluators wrestled with how to balance his physical tools and potential with his collegiate performance.
At 6-4 and 244 pounds, he ran a blazing 4.43-second 40-yard dash at the NFL scouting, the fourth-best time of any passer since 2003. He also set combine records with for a quarterback with his 40 ½-inch vertical leap and 10-9 broad jump. At Florida, he showed a knack for generating highlight-reel plays, whether ripping off long runs or attacking teams downfield with a dazzling deep ball.
But Richardson's experience was a point of concern in recent months, with his 13 career starts tying him with Mitchell Trubisky for the fewest of any first-round quarterback since 2000. His lone year as a starter also was uneven, and his 54.7% career completion rate is be the lowest of any first-round passer since Jake Locker in 2011.
"I can definitely get better at delivering the ball and helping my guys out – but I can't also catch every pass," Richardson said at the NFL scouting combine. "If I could, I would definitely. But it's just helping guys out and helping guys help me. My completion percentage, some people say it's not great. I don't think it's great, either. But it's just growing as a quarterback, and not every year is gonna be your best year, and I definitely learned a lot from last season."
Richardson, 20, wasn't afraid to draw parallels between his game and some of the NFL greats. He said that he began to call himself "Cam Jackson" in high school – a combination between Cam Newton and Lamar Jackson.
"I want to be a legend. I want to be like Patrick Mahomes, I want to be like Tom Brady," Richardson said. "I want to be one of the greats – I will be one of the greats."
The Colts hired former Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen as head coach in February. Credited with being a key catalyst in the development of Eagles quarterback and NFL MVP runner-up Jalen Hurts, Steichen also served as the Los Angeles Chargers' offensive coordinator for two years and helped Justin Herbert become the NFL's Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2020.
In Indianapolis, Richardson will have the backing of 2021 NFL rushing champion Jonathan Taylor, who is looking to bounce back after a nagging ankle injury derailed last year's efforts.