Colts find their quarterback at top of 2023 draft, but it's not Peyton's guy

It was not a question of whether or not the Indianapolis Colts would pick a quarterback with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft. It was a matter of which quarterback they would take.

They went with former Florida Gators quarterback Anthony Richardson, even though there were a lot of pre-draft whispers around Will Levis, especially after Colts Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning gave him a big vote of confidence leading up to the draft. 

Richardson is one of the most fascinating players in the draft because his upside is massive. 

He brings a rare combination of size, speed and arm-strength that is unmatched by every other quarterback in the draft. He put on a show in all of his offseason workouts and rocketed up draft boards.

The concern is that he is considered more of a long-term project and is an extremely boom-or-bust prospect. Those concerns stem from the fact he was a full-time starter in college for just one season and only completed 53 percent of his passes during the 2022 season. But the upside is too much to overlook, and the Colts are desperate for a game-changer at quarterback.

Since Andrew Luck abruptly retired, the Colts have gone through a yearly revolving door at quarterback with a series of one-year stop-gaps that have all disappointed. They went from Jacoby Brissett, to Phillip Rivers, to Carson Wentz to Matt Ryan this season. 

Assuming he starts, Richardson will be the Colts seventh different starting quarterback in the past seven years.

That sort of constant overturn at the most important position on the field is no way to win. With a new head coach in Shane Steichen and now a new quarterback, the Colts finally hope they have the foundation of something that can dig them out of the mediocrity they have fallen into. Steichen, who did great work in developing Jalen Hurts in Philadelphia, might be the perfect coach to help Richardson.