Revisiting Colts' Worst Draft Picks in Chris Ballard Era

Since taking over as the Indianapolis Colts' general manager in 2017, Chris Ballard has earned a reputation for "liking his guys". Ballard commits a majority of the team's salary cap to guys he's drafted, and there have been several successes, such as Quenton Nelson and Jonathan Taylor.

But no general manager bats a thousand. Even with Ballard’s decent track record as a drafter, many selections have fallen short of expectations, whether due to injuries, poor performance, or questionable value.

Here’s a look at some of the most disappointing draft picks of the Ballard era.

2017, R2 | CB Quincy Wilson

In Ballard's first draft, he doubled down on secondary help by drafting Malik Hooker in the first round and Quincy Wilson in the second. Hooker had a fine tenure in Indy, but Wilson was eventually traded for a sixth-round pick.

Wilson appeared in 29 games (10 starts) across three seasons in Indy, totaling 61 total tackles, eight passes defended, two interceptions, and a fumble recovery.

His numbers aren't atrocious, but when you're using a second-round pick on a defensive back, you would hope that he can become a full-time contributor. Instead, Wilson struggled to solidify his spot in the Colts' defense, eventually being phased out of the rotation in 2019.

2017, R3 | DE Tarell Basham

Basham played as an outside linebacker in Indy, and he also struggled to find a way into the Colts' defense. In 16 games played, Basham recorded seven total tackles and two sacks for the Colts.

Basham never found his footing, and was eventually waived by the team one month into his second season.

2018, R2 | DE Kemoko Turay

With Basham not panning out as expected, the Colts once again needed young help on the defensive line. Ballard took another Day 2 swing, this time on Kemoko Turay out of Rutgers.

Turay appeared in 38 games across four seasons for Indy, recording 33 total tackles (seven for loss), 12 sacks, and two forced fumbles. He made more of an impact than the previous two names on this list, but again, you want your second-round picks to become full-time contributors, and Turay was never that guy.

In 2019, Turay broke his ankle, leaving him sidelined for the majority of the season before returning in mid-November of 2020. Once his rookie contract expired, Turay signed with the San Francisco 49ers, where he appeared in three games.

2019, R2 | DE Ben Banogu

For a third consecutive draft, Ballard spent a Day 2 pick on an edge rusher. This time, he took a chance on TCU's Ben Banogu, who ended up with 2.5 sacks across his four-year Colts career.

Banogu had a 9.71 RAS score coming out of college, but he graded poorly on size, weighing in at 250 pounds. His lack of size hindered his impact at the professional level, and he never became a key player for the Colts' defense.

All of Banogu's sacks came in his rookie season. Once his contract expired in Indy, he signed a deal with the Dallas Cowboys, who waived him before the 2023 season began. That marked the end of his short-lived career.

For a second-round pick, the lack of development and contribution makes this selection particularly disappointing.

2022, R3 | TE Jelani Woods

Another Day 2 bust, this one is hard to blame Ballard for. Woods had a decent rookie season, hauling in 25 catches for 312 yards and three touchdowns, but he missed the next two years due to injury before being waived in 2025.

Colts fans will remember Woods for helping beat the Kansas City Chiefs in 2022, when he caught two touchdowns to beat the eventual Super Bowl champions. After that game, the 6-foot-7 Woods struggled to cement himself in the Colts' offense.

2023, R1 | QB Anthony Richardson Sr.

Since being drafted, there were concerns that Anthony Richardson Sr. would never pan out in Indy. He never put together a great campaign at Florida, and he had a long history of injuries. Richardson has become a cautionary tale of what happens when you bet on traits instead of numbers at quarterback.

Richardson's career is far from over, but there's little hope for him to become a playoff-level starter, especially in Indy. The Colts and Richardson agreed to seek a trade, but according to ESPN reporter Adam Schefter, there is little to no market for the former fourth-overall pick.

To use that high of a pick on a quarterback who plays 15 starts is malpractice. It's not entirely Ballard's fault, but he knew that there were injury concerns when he drafted Richardson. There's no reason not to blame Ballard for failing to develop a quarterback drafted in the top five.

Richardson has time, but he needs to prove himself the next time he's on the gridiron.

Overall Thoughts

The Colts are never going to hit on every prospect they draft, but there are a few concerning trends. Ballard has missed on several Day 2 defensive ends, a position that many think the Colts will address in this year's draft.

If Ballard can't find the right guy in his 10th year in charge, it'll be hard to defend his job security.

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