Reviewing the Chris Ballard era: How the Colts’ 2023 draft class held up under early judgment

Chris Ballard’s long run as general manager has produced plenty of draft debate, and Yahoo Sports’ latest installment in its “Ballard era” review series turns to the Indianapolis Colts’ 2023 draft class. The central idea is familiar for fans who have lived through the franchise’s searching approach in recent years: even with the benefit of time, the 2023 class is still close enough that a full grade remains difficult. Yahoo specifically highlights Josh Downs and Jaylon Jones as two key selections that helped “salvage” early evaluation concerns, setting the stage for what the Colts were trying to accomplish with a draft anchored by high-upside and positional balance.

The Colts’ 2023 haul started with the most consequential bet, and it also set the tone for everything that followed. Indianapolis used the No. 4 overall pick on Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson, then added receivers and defensive playmakers through the middle and late rounds. According to the Colts’ own draft tracker, the class included Richardson, cornerback Julius Brents, wide receiver Josh Downs, offensive tackle Blake Freeland, defensive tackle Adetomiwa Adebawore, cornerback Darius Rush, safety Daniel Scott, tight end Will Mallory, running back Evan Hull, edge Titus Leo, and cornerback Jaylon Jones, plus offensive tackle Jake Witt. That structure matters in evaluation because it shows how the front office tried to address both the present (new skill pieces) and the longer view (depth and development).

Downs came off the board in the third round, No. 79 overall, as a smaller receiver with a reputation for production and reliability. described him as a player who posted consecutive 1,000-yard seasons at North Carolina, including 1,335 yards in 2021 and 1,029 yards in 2022, along with ACC leading reception totals. Over his North Carolina career, the team’s later signing notes put the output at 202 catches for 2,483 yards and 22 touchdowns across three seasons. In Yahoo Sports’ framing, that kind of steadiness is exactly the type of “counterweight” you want when early-round decisions become part of the narrative. For the Colts, it also fit the practical challenge of developing their passing game with a quarterback who needed support both as a passer and as an extended-play athlete.

Jaylon Jones was the other name Yahoo singled out as a lift in the class’s overall evaluation. Jones arrived in the seventh round, No. 221 overall, and listed him as a 6-foot-2 cornerback from Texas A&M. The team’s draft write-up emphasized that Jones jumped into the starting lineup as a true freshman and built a resume anchored by pass breakups and interception production. In 2021, he started all 12 games with 35 tackles, two interceptions, and six additional pass breakups, then returned in 2022 to start 10 games with 33 tackles and two pass breakups, with two contests missed due to injury. The key point in a review like this is not only whether a late-round defensive pick can contribute, but whether it gives a defense a piece it can build around when the earlier drafts do not immediately stabilize the secondary.

The rest of the class helped define what Indianapolis valued beyond the two marquee names. The Colts added more defensive options and developmental prospects with picks such as Brents at No. 44 overall, Adebawore at No. 110 overall, and Rush and Scott later in the middle rounds, then filled out the roster with offensive and special-tenant possibilities including Mallory at No. 162 overall and Hull in the fifth round. Even the final wave mattered for evaluation, because depth is often the most honest part of a draft grade, the part that reveals whether a front office can repeatedly identify playable football at multiple positions.

Still, this is where the grading gets complicated. The Colts’ 2023 class is recent enough that careers can pivot in either direction quickly, particularly when the centerpiece is a quarterback selected for athletic upside rather than polished passing. Richardson’s draft signing notes underscore the mix of traits Indianapolis was buying, with Florida statistics that included 215-of-393 passing for 3,105 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 15 interceptions, plus 161 carries for 1,116 yards and 12 rushing touchdowns. That combination can create two separate evaluation clocks: one for the quarterback’s development curve, and one for how quickly the surrounding positions (receivers, corners, tight ends, and offensive line prospects) become stable.

What to watch next in the Colts’ roster story is how the 2023 class collectively supports the team’s ability to compete over a full season. Yahoo’s emphasis on Downs and Jones suggests that those two selections are viewed as the cleanest evidence that the Colts could still find value even when the broader draft conversation turns sour. For Ballard’s era, the question is not simply whether the picks were exciting, but whether they end up functioning as dependable components, especially on offense where receiver production has to translate into consistent targets, and on defense where the secondary needs playable depth.

KeyFacts:

- The Colts selected Anthony Richardson in the first round with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.

- The Colts selected wide receiver Josh Downs with the No. 79 overall pick in the third round, following consecutive 1,000-yard ACC seasons at North Carolina.

- described Downs’ North Carolina career as 202 receptions for 2,483 yards and 22 touchdowns across three seasons.

- The Colts selected cornerback Jaylon Jones in the seventh round with the No. 221 overall pick.

- described Jones as a starter in 2021 (35 tackles, two interceptions, and six pass breakups) and 2022 (33 tackles and two pass breakups, missing two contests due to injury).

- The Colts’ 2023 draft class also included Julius Brents, Blake Freeland, Adetomiwa Adebawore, Darius Rush, Daniel Scott, Will Mallory, Evan Hull, Titus Leo, and Jake Witt.