Prior to the 2023 NFL Draft, fans and analysts thought we had Colts’ General Manager Chris Ballard’s Wide Receiver preferences figured out. After all, he had drafted 6 Wide Receivers from 2018-2022, and nearly all of whom fit a certain profile.
Perhaps no one had highlighted this profile as well as Sports Illustrated’s Zach Hicks, who’s annual “Build-A-Ballard” article series outlined the common traits of Colts draft picks throughout Ballard’s tenure at varying different position groups. This series was highly reliable at finding Ballard’s prototypes, that it helped Hicks identify the Colts 2022 2nd Round WR pick very early: Alec Pierce.
Heading into the 2023 Draft, here were the common traits that Ballard’s Wide Receiver Draft Picks shared according to Hicks:
Perhaps no one had highlighted this profile as well as Sports Illustrated’s Zach Hicks, who’s annual “Build-A-Ballard” article series outlined the common traits of Colts draft picks throughout Ballard’s tenure at varying different position groups. This series was highly reliable at finding Ballard’s prototypes, that it helped Hicks identify the Colts 2022 2nd Round WR pick very early: Alec Pierce.
Heading into the 2023 Draft, here were the common traits that Ballard’s Wide Receiver Draft Picks shared according to Hicks:
But could this prototype be undergoing changes? Especially with a new Head Coach with a different Offensive scheme in Shane Steichen to draft for, a new type of Wide Receiver was drafted in Year 1 his tenure.
In Round 3 of the 2023 Draft the Colts selected Josh Downs, a 5’8 6/8” and 171 lb. Wide Receiver out of North Carolina. Downs is by far the smallest and lightest Colts WR Ballard has ever drafted. He wasn’t known as an outside vertical threat (though had a very high passer rating when targeted deep), but more so as a route runner extraordinaire in the slot in short to intermediate routes. His routes were crisp, his hands reliable, and despite his size he was very successful vs Press. Not exactly the “typical” Ballard Wide Receiver
