Anthony Richardson is heading to Indianapolis. Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Colts GM confirms Anthony Richardson was his guy all along

By Michael Gallagher | Last updated 4/27/23

Which quarterback the Indianapolis Colts would draft fourth overall was one of the more hotly debated topics leading up to the 2023 NFL Draft.

But during an interview with “The Pat McAfee Show” shortly after picking Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson, Colts general manager Chris Ballard confirmed he had his mind made up on who he wanted for some time.

“We’ve been dialed in on [Richardson] for a while,” Ballard said. “We’re betting on what we think he can become. And he’s a physical freak in terms of his ability to run and throw — he’s a big, strong man. The more time we spent with him, we just thought he is going to really grow because he’s smart, he cares and he wants to be good and all those things. Is it going to be pretty early? Probably not, but we’ll work through it and let his talent come to life at some point.”

Buckle up, @Colts fans… ⁰⁰Anthony Richardson can LAUNCH it pic.twitter.com/gopTRAj3XA
— NFL on CBS (@NFLonCBS) April 28, 2023

Although many were left in the dark regarding which way the Colts were leaning, Richardson hinted that he had a feeling he’d end up in Indianapolis a few weeks ago. His suspicions were confirmed before the draft started when Richardson said the Colts called him to let him know that if things fell their way he was their guy.

“I kind of had a feeling that they were going to select me because I fell in love with the people in the building when I was there on my visit,” Richardson told reporters after being selected. “Just talking to coach, talking to Chris Ballard, just talking to those guys and getting familiar with them, it felt like home.”