Indianapolis Colts mock draft: Best and worst-case scenarios for Anthony Richardson in 2024 NFL Draft

Anthony Richardson impressed before injury cut short his 2023 season, and the Indianapolis Colts are in a promising place ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft.

For the team to build upon the base put down in 2023, the Colts need to look at their offensive weapons. Adding a high-quality wide receiver should be the first priority for the front office, and it’s likely they use their first-round selection on a receiver.

After that, the feeling is that the Colts need to look at their defensive starters. There are serious issues in the backfield at both cornerback and safety, and they should address those before day three of the draft.

A pass rusher off the edge would be something to think about, but the Colts only have their original seven picks in the draft, so there isn’t a lot of room to move at the top end of the class.

If Bralen Trice was to fall into the third round, the Colts would be making a huge move in getting him, but that seems unlikely. Raekwon Davis was the big signing in the off-season, and he adds physical strength at the DT position, which gives the Colts the freedom to prioritize the backfield in the draft.

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Indianapolis Colts 2024 NFL mock draft scenarios

Colts mock draft: Best-case scenario

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The Sportskeeda 7-round Mock Draft simulator has given us a best-case scenario for both the Indianapolis Colts and Anthony Richardson in the draft.

Michael Pittman Jr. signing a contract extension in the offseason was vital to the Colts’ offense, but being able to add another serious talent at WR gives Richardson more options and makes his offense all the more dynamic.

Brian Thomas Jr. isn’t one of the most talked about names in this receiving class, which is mostly due to the sheer quality of and hype surrounding the big three. However, Thomas is a long, fluid receiver who makes catches when asked.

His best ability is his way of getting open and leaving his defender confused. One of the rarer qualities in modern receivers is their willingness to get into fist-fights with their opposite number.

Thomas doesn’t shirk that responsibility. He's great at using his hands to create separation and leave a defender behind. If Richardson is the grace in Indianapolis’ offense, Brian Thomas Jr. would be the playmaking brute.

Next, the Colts would be able to address their problems in the backfield with back-to-back selections of Khyree Jackson out of Oregon and Javon Bullard out of Georgia.

Whilst both are technically listed as cornerbacks, there's a sense that Bullard will eventually be moved to safety in the NFL, even if there are concerns about his size and power.

Both players have a higher ceiling than anticipated and should grow with the amount of reps they get in the NFL. It may be a difficult rookie year, as they aren’t necessarily clearly ready to start right away, but it's a necessary difficult period to go through to reap the rewards later on.

Myles Cole is a potentially productive pass rusher coming off the edge and the Colts will be happy to add him in the fourth-round. Meanwhile, there's a clever selection made with their final selection in the form of Patrick McMorris, the safety out of California.

He's a development pick with a high ceiling and is more of a natural fit at safety than either Jackson or Bullard. If he has a good training camp, there's no reason why he couldn’t work himself into a starting position alongside Julian Blackmon.

Here are the picks in full:

· Brian Thomas Jr., WR, LSU

· Khyree Jackson, CB, Oregon

· Javon Bullard, CB, Georgia

· Myles Cole, EDGE, Texas Tech

· Jared Wiley, TE, TCU

· Trevor Keegan, OG, Michigan

· Patrick McMorris, S, California

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Colts mock draft: Worst-case scenario

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In the complete opposite scenario, the Colts make some huge mistake and barely are able to address their backfield needs.

Taking a tight end this high in the draft is unusual for a team that's settled on offense. Ja’Tavion Sanders could be a physical freak and an NFL starter, but I just don’t see the need for him here.

Zak Zinter, again a good player but not one which the Colts need to prioritize. It’s good to try and protect Anthony Richardson, especially after he was injured in 2023, but it doesn’t make sense to ignore the defense to achieve that.

Josh Newton actually isn’t a poor selection, but you’d want more security at the cornerback position before picking him. He’s more of a development selection, like McMorris was in the best-case scenario. But in this outcome of events, he would be immediately expected to play and make a difference for the Colts’ defense, which I’m not sure he is ready for.

Leaving it to the final three picks to really address the key areas of need is not a good NFL Draft strategy, and it would put a lot more pressure on Anthony Richardson and the offense in 2023, which is the exact opposite of what you want to do.

Here's how the class is picked in full:

· Ja’Tavion Sanders, TE, Texas

· Zak Zinter, OG, Michigan

· Jonah Elliss, EDGE, Utah

· Josh Newton, CB, TCU

· Nelson Ceaser, EDGE, Houston

· Tykee Smith, S, Georgia