INDIANAPOLIS — Shane Steichen understands his first draft as an NFL head coach could define his entire tenure.
If he and general manager Chris Ballard can find the best young quarterback to build around with the No. 4 overall pick, they just might get the Indianapolis Colts' postseason plans back on track.
Getting it wrong means the long, arduous search for a new franchise quarterback will continue — perhaps with some new faces making selections.
Those are the stakes in next week's NFL draft and Steichen and Ballard are leaving nothing to chance.
“You want to find out as much information as you can on all these prospects and go through that process. If that means calling as many people as you can to find out that information, that’s what you've got to do,” Steichen said recently. “Then, going back and watching the tape over and over again because again, there’s not a crystal ball to like, 'Hey, this guy is a guarantee, right?”
Many believe Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud are as close to sure bets in this year's draft.
But both are expected to be gone by the team the Colts pick at No. 4. That would mean choosing between the strong-armed gambler, Will Levis of Kentucky, or the rapidly rising but largely untested Anthony Richardson of Florida.
While Richardson has opened eyeballs, he's making sure the noise doesn't get too loud.
"I don't believe in hype, you know? Hype can take you down the wrong tunnel and I don't want to go down the wrong tunnel," he said. "So I'm not listening to no hype. I'm just keeping the main thing the main thing, focusing on that and trying to get better."
His body of work speaks for itself on the ground and through the air, but there are still questions about his inexperience and inaccuracy - just a few parts of his game Richardson said he's willing to work on.
"If you ask me, I'd say everything. Footwork, accuracy, arm path, leadership, decision making. I could go on and on, but me as a person, I think I can grow at every aspect of the game," he said. "I'm a work horse. I'm going to work to be the greatest. A lot of people say I have a lot to clean up, so I'm definitely going to try to clean those things up."
If the selections go as expected, the Colts may be tempted to make a trade with Arizona just to get the next-best guy on their board.
What time does the 2023 NFL Draft start?
The draft is a three-day extravaganza in Kansas City, Missouri, starting Thursday night.
The first round begins at 8 p.m. Eastern. The second and third rounds are on Friday starting at 7 p.m. The fourth through seventh rounds are on Saturday starting at noon.
The draft can be viewed on NFL Network, ABC, ESPN and ESPN Deportes.
How to watch the 2023 NFL Draft
NFL Draft Day 1 (Round 1)
Thursday, 8:00 p.m. ET, 5:00 p.m. PT
Watch: ESPN, ABC, NFL Network.and ESPN Deportes
NFL Draft Day 2 (Rounds 2-3)
Friday, 7:00 p.m. ET, 4:00 p.m. PT
Watch: ESPN, ABC, NFL Network, and ESPN Deportes
NFL Draft Day 3 (Rounds 4-7)
Saturday, 12:00 p.m. ET, 9:00 a.m. PT
Watch: ESPN, ABC, NFL Network, and ESPN Deportes
Who has the number 1 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft?
The Carolina Panthers have the No. 1 pick in the draft after making a trade with the Chicago Bears.
After that, the Houston Texans select at No. 2, while the Arizona Cardinals are No. 3. The Indianapolis Colts (No. 4) and Seattle Seahawks (No. 5) round out the top 5.
The Panthers are expected to take a quarterback with the top selection. The candidates include Young, Stroud, Levis and Richardson.
What picks do the Colts have going in?
- Round 1: No. 4
- Round 2: No. 35
- Round 3: No. 79 (from Washington)
- Round 4: No. 106
- Round 5: Nos. 138, 162 (from Buffalo), 176 (from Dallas)
- Round 7: Nos. 221, 236 (from Tampa Bay)
Get ready for the 2023 NFL Draft with the Locked On NFL Mock Draft Special!
- Six-episode event
- Every Round 1 selection, plus mock trades, made by corresponding Locked On podcast hosts for each team
- Analysis from national NFL and NFL Draft experts between each selection
- High-energy, draft atmosphere in podcast-form. Nobody does a mock draft like this!
- Available on YouTube on the Locked On NFL Draft YouTube channel and podcast feeds wherever you get your podcasts!