Colts' Chris Ballard Gets Real on This Year's NFL Draft

This year's NFL draft class has gotten it's fair share of differing reviews across the league.

While in past drafts, many classes have been viewed with highly-touted, star-studded groups of incoming prospects to take on the next level, this year looks a bit different. Many are questioning the true elite talent that may sit atop draft boards, top-end quarterback talent, and overall, big concerns on how this cast of players could ultimately pan out.

When asking Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard, he sees things a bit differently. This might not be an elite draft with much superstar talent, but there's sure to be tons of quality players to take advantage of down the board, making this far from a "thin" draft.

“I don't know if it's, say, thinner, because there's some depth," Ballard said in Monday's pre-draft presser. "I'm like, you never really know at the end of the day until they go play. Like, everybody has got to go play. And there's always some unexpected [blue-chip players] that show up from different rounds. But I would tell you that in the top part of the draft in years compared, at least at this point, I don't know if there's quite as much high end."

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For the Colts, they'll be making their selection at 14th overall on the first night in round one. Perhaps not high enough to secure one of this class's few blue-chip players, but still, enough to get a big upgrade at a position of need.

Down the board on days two and three, though, that's where the intrigue really starts to generate for Ballard.

"I do think there's a lot of depth in this draft, especially when you start looking at [rounds] two through five, there's some really good depth," Ballard continued. "Good players. I don't know there are many high-end, but there are good players in the draft.”

Looking atop the class resides Travis Hunter and Abdul Carter as the two top-end guys to covet, and could-be number-one picks if quarterback wasn't such a premium position in the draft. Besides that, Indianapolis has their work cut out for them.

Still, it doesn't mean this draft can't make for massive steps in the right direction for this roster on both ends of the field.

Down the board, Indianapolis will have each of their selections from rounds one through seven, giving them tons of opportunity to acquire young talent on all three days, and could even be aggressive in landing more, depending on how certain guys may rise and fall down the board.

It's a critical draft for the Colts brass and Ballard, and could be their most important one to ace since taking the reins of the front office in 2017. Time will tell if they can get things right this time around.

The 2025 NFL Draft will get going on Thursday, April 24th, in Green Bay, WI.

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