2023 NFL Draft Grades: Rating every first-round pick by value
By Kinnu Singh
2023 NFL Draft Grades: Rating every first-round pick by value
4. With the fourth overall pick, the Indianapolis Colts select…
Anthony Richardson. 46. No. 42 in Top 50. Positional Ranking: 5. QB. Florida. D. player
Giving the Colts a “D” for drafting Anthony Richardson may seem drastic, but considering the past season for the Colts and where Richardson is developmentally, this was not the most prudent decision to make with the No. 4 overall pick.
While Richardson has been hailed as one of the most gifted athletes to enter the league, the fact that his development as a quarterback is so inconsistent is a significant concern.
Richardson enters the NFL with even fewer snaps in college and fewer starts than Trey Lance, who was widely critiqued for his dearth of experience. If teams need to determine whether or not Richardson is “a functionally accurate passer“, he should not be drafted with the No. 4 overall pick.
This pick would also receive a better grade if Richardson wasn’t slated to start for the Colts, but he’s expected to take over the franchise in 2023. That puts a lot of pressure on Richardson and his ability to develop fundamental skills, and it will also put pressure on the organization if he does poorly. Colts general manager Chris Ballard made it known that it could take “two, three years” for Richardson to become good.
Richardson may have a potentially high ceiling, but with Will Levis and Hendon Hooker still available, Richardson was the biggest gamble: one that the unstable Colts organization will likely fumble.
5. With the fifth overall pick, the Seattle Seahawks select…
Positional Ranking: 1. CB. player. 36. No. 8 in Top 50. Illinois. Devon Witherspoon. A+
As the highest-ranked cornerback among the Top 50, Witherspoon was drafted by the ideal destination in Seattle. With his excellent ability to predict routes, Witherspoon is more suited for a zone scheme, and Seattle knows how to get the best out of zone cornerbacks like Richard Sherman.
The Seahawks have needed to shore up their secondary for years, and drafting Tariq Woolen last year made an immediate impact in that regard. Woolen ended the 2022 regular season with six interceptions. and that’s the kind of turnover ratio fans can expect from Witherspoon.
By taking Witherspoon at No. 5, they have Woolen, Witherspoon, Jamal Adams and Quandre Diggs to comprise a fearsome secondary. Seattle’s defense hasn’t looked this strong in a decade, and Seahawks fans remember well what that looked like.