The Athletic has around-the-clock coverage of the NFL Draft. Follow our NFL Draft Round 4-7 live blog and round 2-3 winners and losers, round 2 grades and best available players.
The Indianapolis Colts have the fourth pick in the NFL Draft when Round 1 begins April 27 in Kansas City. The Colts own nine total picks in the seven-round draft.
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Colts’ draft picks
| Round | Pick | Overall | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | 4 | 4 | |
2 | 4 | 35 | |
3 | 16 | 79 | From Commanders |
4 | 4 | 106 | |
5 | 3 | 138 | |
5 | 27 | 162 | |
5 | 41 | 176 | From Cowboys |
7 | 4 | 221 | |
7 | 19 | 236 | From Buccaneers |
Full draft order
See how every pick in the seven-round NFL Draft is scheduled.
NFL Draft details
• Round 1: April 27, 8 p.m. ET
• Rounds 2-3: April 28, 7 p.m. ET
• Rounds 4-7: April 29, noon ET
About the Colts
• Head coach: Shane Steichen (first season)
• General manager: Chris Ballard
• Last year’s record: 4-12-1
The Colts have been spiraling at quarterback ever since Andrew Luck retired in 2019. After another failed replacement attempt with Matt Ryan, who was released following one turnover-filled season, Indianapolis is poised to select a signal caller with the No. 4 pick in the draft. The team has addressed other needs through free agency, most notably with the high-priced signing of former Pro Bowl kicker Matt Gay, but this offseason will be defined by whom the Colts choose as their next franchise QB.
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Colts’ key position needs
Offensive line: Indianapolis had the highest-paid offensive line in the league last season, though general manager Chris Ballard conceded it never looked the part. The Colts gave up 60 sacks, the second most in the NFL, due to the regression of center Ryan Kelly, left guard Quenton Nelson and right tackle Braden Smith, all of whom received big contract extensions in recent years. Indianapolis also relied too much on unproven players at left tackle and right guard, which backfired tremendously. The team has yet to make an offensive line move in free agency, but the clock is ticking on strengthening that unit for presumably a rookie quarterback.
Cornerback: After trading Stephon Gilmore to the Cowboys and having Brandon Facyson sign with the Raiders in free agency, the Colts only have two cornerbacks on their roster who received significant playing time last season: Kenny Moore II and Isaiah Rodgers Sr. Moore struggled in defensive coordinator Gus Bradley’s new system, raising questions about whether he’ll be traded or cut before the 2023 season. Rodgers showed flashes of his potential but has never been a full-time starter. This puts Indianapolis firmly in the market for cornerbacks, through the draft and free agency, who can contribute right away on the back end.
Kenny Moore II remains with the Colts after struggling during the 2022 season. (Trevor Ruszkowski / USA Today)Wide receiver: If the Colts intend on drafting a quarterback, they need to surround him with playmakers. Michael Pittman Jr. and Alec Pierce headline the team’s wide receivers room, which, at the moment, is average at best. Parris Campbell had a breakout season in 2022 and parlayed that into a new contract with the Giants. Indianapolis replaced him with former Bills wideout Isaiah McKenzie, but that’s not enough. Adding another receiver, perhaps early in the draft, could go a long way as the franchise enters a new era.
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Colts draft analysis
Would the Colts use their second draft pick on Hendon Hooker? The pros and cons: A strategy that wouldn’t use the No. 4 pick on a quarterback.
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Will Levis’ pro-day performance gives Colts window into debate about him: What the Kentucky QB showed and how it might or might not fit for Indianapolis.
C.J. Stroud shows Colts what they might be missing at Ohio State pro day: An impressive pro day may make Indianapolis wish it had made more of an effort to trade up for the No. 1 pick.
Colts 2023 NFL Draft big board 2.0: 10 players (and 2 QBs) Indy may target in rounds 1-3: Possible options to fill the Colts’ biggest needs.
Lamar Jackson or trade up to No. 3: Which is a better option for the Colts?: Weighing a couple of the Colts’ QB options.
Colts’ QB decision: How new coach Shane Steichen’s influence weighs into equation: What Indy’s new head coach might be looking for in his signal caller.
Analyzing ‘The Beast’: 15 players the Colts should consider drafting
Kravitz: Could Colts really pass on QB in NFL Draft?
Chris Ballard on QBs: Everything Colts’ GM has said about drafting the position
Colts’ Brugler draft analysis: Can Anthony Richardson reach his ceiling?
Colts GM Chris Ballard confident but ‘dancing’ as big draft decision approaches
Colts draft 2023: The case for selecting Florida’s Anthony Richardson
Colts draft 2023: The case for selecting Kentucky’s Will Levis
Colts 2023 NFL Draft big board: 20 prospects Indy can target at QB and beyond
Could Colts GM Chris Ballard’s patience be rewarded with Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud?
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‘The Beast’ 2023 NFL Draft guide: Dane Brugler’s scouting reports, player rankings
The Athletic’s most recent mock drafts
April 26: NFL Mock Draft 2023: Our beat writers pick 5 QBs in first round with Bryce Young No. 1: Final full-staff draft simulation before the real thing.
April 25: Colts 2023 mock draft 3.0: Indy banks on Anthony Richardson’s high ceiling: James Boyd makes his final predictions before the draft.
April 17: NFL 7-Round Mock Draft: Dane Brugler predicts all 259 picks: Our draft expert has the Colts picking their QB of the future.
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April 7: 2023 NFL Mock Draft: How each team should attack Rounds 1-3: Nick Baumgardner projects how the Colts could pick early in the draft.
March 31: NFL mock draft 2023: What sources say about Stroud, Hooker, Richardson and more: Bruce Feldman gives his prognostications, including his choice for Indy’s next QB.
March 28: NFL Mock Draft 2023: Surprise pick at No. 2 as Bryce Young falls to Colts at No. 4: Diante Lee has Indy getting a QB they maybe didn’t expect to be available.
March 22: Beat writer mock draft: QBs go quickly, surprise trade, Aaron Rodgers stalemate: James Boyd stands pat at No. 4 and takes the presumptive franchise quarterback of the future.
March 13: After Panthers trade for No. 1, quarterbacks go 1-2-3-4: Ben Standig goes with Kentucky QB Will Levis at No. 4 after quarterbacks are taken with the top three picks.
March 9: Colts 2023 mock draft 2.0: Staying put and taking a chance on Anthony Richardson
Colts’ last five top picks
2022: WR Alec Pierce, pick No. 53 — Pierce began his rookie campaign by dropping his first potential touchdown catch and getting concussed in the 2022 season opener against Houston, but he rebounded with a game-winning, 32-yard touchdown grab against Jacksonville in Week 6. The 22-year-old finished the year with 41 receptions for 593 yards and two scores, showing flashes of his potential despite Indianapolis’ struggles with three different starting quarterbacks.
Alec Pierce catches a touchdown pass against the Cowboys. (Kevin Jairaj / USA Today)2021: DE Kwity Paye, pick No. 21 — Paye took a step forward in his second season, totaling career highs of 45 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and six sacks. The 24-year-old missed five games due to an ankle injury, limiting his chance to continue developing. If he can stay healthy this year, he’ll have a real shot to blossom into one of the Colts’ top defensive players.
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2020: WR Michael Pittman Jr., pick No. 34 — Pittman has had five different starting quarterbacks in three seasons, making it harder to gauge his production or lack thereof. The 25-year-old isn’t the fastest wideout and doesn’t create much separation. However, he’s made a lot of contested catches and isn’t afraid of contact. Pittman’s registered 227 receptions for 2,510 yards and 11 scores in three years, proving he can at least be an NFL team’s No. 2 receiver.
2019: CB Rock Ya-Sin, pick No. 34 — Drafting Ya-Sin was a big miss by Ballard and company. He’s the only player selected first by the Colts within the last five years who’s no longer on the team. The 26-year-old started 13 games as a rookie but backslid in 2020 and 2021 before being traded to the Raiders ahead of the 2022 season. Ya-Sin has only snagged two interceptions in 52 career games.
2018: G Quenton Nelson, pick No. 6 — Nelson has already established himself as one of the best offensive linemen in Colts history. The 27-year-old has been a Pro Bowler every year of his career and is a four-time All-Pro, highlighted by three first-team nods. He slipped a little last season, failing to earn an All-Pro selection for the first time. But assuming he bounces back in 2023, Nelson would continue what’s shaping up to be a Hall of Fame career.
(Top photo of Anthony Richardson: James Gilbert / Getty Images)
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