Many NFL Mock Drafts Have Colts Drafting A QB, But What Does Coach Frank Reich Look For In A Passer?

INDIANAPOLIS — An NFL quarterback for 14 years, Indianapolis Colts head coach Frank Reich lists five specifics he’s looking for in players at the most important position.

He listed them at the recent NFL Scouting Combine: Mental and physical toughness, accelerated vision in terms of how fast a QB thinks on his feet, accuracy, good feet and, finally, intangibles such as leadership and being a playmaker in the big moments.

By the Colts’ own admission, the jury is still out on quarterback Jacoby Brissett, who faltered last season and is entering the last year of a contract that will pay him $21.375 million this season, which ranks 19th in the NFL, according to spotrac.com.

Much of the offseason buzz about the Colts pertains to whether general manager Chris Ballard will sign a free-agent QB such as Philip Rivers or draft a young talent, presumably to be groomed after one more year with Brissett as a bridge player to the future.

Here’s a list of QBs expected to be drafted on April 23-25: Joe Burrow, LSU; Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama; Justin Herbert, Oregon; Jordan Love, Utah State; Jake Fromm, Georgia; Jacob Eason, Washington; Bryce Perkins, Virginia; Jalen Hurts, Oklahoma; Steven Montez, Colorado; James Morgan, Florida International; Nate Stanley, Iowa; Khalil Tate, Arizona; Brian Lewerke, Michigan State; Anthony Gordon, Washington State; Riley Neal, Vanderbilt.

Ballard and Reich reiterated at the combine the need to built the 7-9 Colts inside-out, placing an importance on the players in the trenches. Ballard also repeated a familiar refrain in saying he won’t force the issue on taking a quarterback too high based on supposed need for fear of that player failing to live up to the pick and setting the franchise back.

For the record, the gut feel here is either wide receiver or defensive lineman/edge rusher with the Colts’ first pick at 13th overall. Ballard likes to trade down to stockpile picks, which is why he has two in the second round, an early one at 34 thanks to last year’s trade with Washington to move out of the first round.

Colts owner Jim Irsay spoke days before the combine about how finding a quarterback doesn’t require using a first-round pick. He referenced how the Colts wanted to select Russell Wilson in the fourth round of 2012, when they took Andrew Luck with the No. 1 overall pick, but Seattle took Wilson in the third round. Five QBs were taken before Wilson, who is a seven-time Pro Bowl selection with one Super Bowl ring.

Current NFL MVP and Super Bowl champion quarterback Patrick Mahomes of Kansas City was a first-round pick in 2017, but appeared in only one game as a rookie before his career took off.

So it’s more than feasible that Ballard will use a pick in the second or third rounds on a quarterback. How much so is anyone’s guess.

Business Insider looked at 11 mock drafts to provide the best educated guess on how teams will select in the first round. For what it’s worth, the Colts were projected to take South Carolina defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw.

Here’s a look at what the various mock drafts have the Colts doing at No. 13:

Kevin Hanson, Sports Illustrated — Javon Kinlaw, DT, South Carolina.

Chris Trapasso, CBS Sports — Justin Herbert, QB, Washington.

Daniel Jeremiah, NFL.com — Jordan Love, QB, Utah State.

Matt Miller, Bleacher Report — Jordan Love, QB, Utah State.

Mel Kiper, ESPN — Javon Kinlaw, DT, South Carolina.

Todd McShay, ESPN — Justin Herbert, QB, Washington.

Michael Renner, Pro Football Focus — (trade down to 17) A.J. Epenesa, DE/Edge, Iowa.

Bucky Brooks, NFL.com — Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama.

Lance Zierlein, NFL.com — K’Lavon Chaisson, DE/Edge, LSU.

Ryan Wilson, CBS Sports — Justin Herbert, QB, Washington.

Nate Davis, USA Today — Justin Jefferson, WR, LSU.

Pete Prisco, CBS Sports — Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama.

Will Brinson, CBS Sports — Derrick Brown, DT, Auburn.

Josh Edwards, CBS Sports — Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson.

R.J. White, CBS Sports — Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama.

Joe Tansey, Bleacher Report — Derrick Brown, DT, Auburn.

Chad Reuter, NFL.com — Jacob Eason, QB, Washington.

Tom Fornelli, CBS Sports — (trade up to No. 11) CeeDee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma.

Lance Easterling, draftwire.usatoday.com — Jordan Love, QB, Utah State.

Dan Kadar, SB Nation — Jordan Love, QB, Utah State.

Vinny Iyer, Sporting News — Justin Herbert, QB, Washington.

walterfootball.com — Javon Kinlaw, DT, South Carolina.

draftsite.com — Javon Kinlaw, DT, South Carolina.

draftek.com — Javon Kinlaw, DT, South Carolina.

tankathon.com — CeeDee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma.