2022 NFL Draft: Why the Indianapolis Colts should select Carson Strong
Could Carson Strong be wearing an Indianapolis Colts uniform next season? The former Nevada quarterback isn’t expected to be a first-round pick in the upcoming 2022 NFL Draft. And that’s a good thing for the Colts since they don’t own a first-round pick.
Indianapolis does, however, have a second-round selection (42nd overall) or a third-rounder (No. 73) that they can use to select Strong.
The two-time Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year was impressive last season, passing for 4,175 yards and 36 touchdowns. He also powered the Wolf Pack to an 8-4 record.
Carson Strong since 2020:
🥇 7,047 passing yards (1st)
🥇 63 TDs (1st)
🥇 55 Big-Time Throws (t-1st)
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Despite having limited mobility due to past knee surguries, Strong has a ridiculously strong arm, which enables him to make throws all over the field, especially deep.
And he isn't talked about as much as other quarterback prospects like Malik Willis and Kenny Pickett. Yet, he does have the potential to become quite a player at the the next level.
Why do the Indianapolis Colts need to take Carson Strong in the 2022 NFL Draft?
They need a quarterback of the future
Indy’s franchise quarterback Andrew Luck retired out of the blue back in 2019. Since then, the team has started the likes of Jacoby Brissett, Brian Hoyer, Philip Rivers and Carson Wentz over the past three seasons. All of those guys were basically Band-Aids and certainly not long-term solutions.
Earlier this offseason, the Colts traded Wentz and replaced him with longtime Atlanta Falcons star Matt Ryan. While Ryan is still a good quarterback, the soon-to-be 37-year-old obviously won’t be around forever.
OFFICIAL: We have traded QB Matt Ryan to the Colts for a 2022 third-round pick.
With Ryan on the roster for now, Strong wouldn’t be pressured to start right away and could take over as the starter in a couple of years.
He can learn a lot from Matt Ryan
Indianapolis is an ideal landing spot for Strong since Ryan can take him under his wing and show him the ropes.
Ryan, who won the NFL’s 2016 Most Valuable Player award and once led Atlanta to a Super Bowl appearance, is possibly a future Pro Football Hall of Famer. The four-time Pro Bowler has thrown for over 4,000 yards in 10 of his 14 seasons in the league. So, he’s definitely somebody to learn from.
Steve Young sat on the bench behind Joe Montana, and Aaron Rodgers served as the backup to Brett Favre for a few years. Not saying Strong will turn out to be an iconic QB like Young or Rodgers, but learning from a veteran would certainly be beneficial.