7- Round Colts Mock Draft: Anthony Richardson Joins Shane Steichen in Indy

Round 2, No. 35: Darnell Wright, OT, Tennessee

As much hype as Jalen Hurts receives (and rightfully so), the offensive line is the heart and soul of the Philadelphia Eagles offense. As stated, the Colts have talent on the front lines with Quenton Nelson and Braden Smith. However, the holes at left tackle and right guard caused issues weekly for Indy.

Drafting Darnell Wright in this mock draft kills two birds with one stone. Bernhard Raimann improved considerably throughout his rookie season after being named the starter on the blind side. Still, his play was not up to snuff overall, and I believe he projects best as an interior lineman.

Moving Raimann inside to the guard position re-opens the hole at left tackle. Tennessee’s Darnell Wright started on the right side of the line the past two seasons but has a full campaign of experience under his belt on the opposite side, too.

Wright’s pass protection is top-tier and rivals any lineman in this class. The former five-star recruit is athletic and displays incredible footwork and hand usage when blocking in a phone booth. He is also an above-average contributor in the run game, creating holes for his running backs and leaking out to the second level to terrorize the middle of the defense.

A franchise quarterback and left tackle with the first two picks of the 2023 NFL Draft would be a dream come true for the front office. Finally, the fan base can move on from Andrew Luck and Anthony Castonzo.

Round 3, No. 79: Jaylon Jones, CB, Texas A&M

Jaylon Jones *looks* like a Chris Ballard cornerback. The A&M star is tall, wiry, and possesses the frame to be a physically-imposing player on the outside and in the run game.

Jones is another former five-star recruit who never quite lived up to that billing in college but has the potential to be a much better NFL player. While he is guilty of being stiff in coverage, most of these issues are alleviated when he sits back in zone coverage.

Gus Bradley’s scheme relies heavily on zone, so this pairing makes for a hand-in-glove fit. The most intriguing part about Jones is his age, as the Aggie cornerback won’t turn 21 until draft month. All signs point to the Colts targeting a player like Jones in April.

Round 4, No. 109: Andrei Iosivas, WR, Princeton

Chris Ballard has a long history of adding impact players on day three of the NFL Draft. In this mock draft, Indy starts day three with a jolt to the receiving crops.

Princeton’s Andrei Iosivas boasts legitimate track speed with the ball in his hands. He is a shade under 6-foot-3 and weighs in at 212 pounds, meeting the requirements that Ballard looks for in a receiver.

Iosivas’ hands are elite, he consistently separates from the slot, and with an improved route tree, he could be a long-time starter in the league. Hopefully, the Princeton wideout can stay on the field and fill the role that is likely to be vacated by Parris Campbell this offseason.