The Pick Is In — Indianapolis Colts 2023 NFL Draft

Mitch Mason and Karan Jangra

Howdy folks! Welcome to The Pick Is In! That’s right, we’re back for another run with this experiment and can’t wait to see what our GMs, err, writers can cook up. If you’re unfamiliar with this series, lemme paint the picture for you. Our writers will be stepping up to the plate for a NFL franchise and act as if they have full control of the team on draft day. For each team, we’ll have two or three writers step into the front office and take over as general manager. You’ll see picks made from No. 1 overall to a sixth-rounder, bold picks will be made in unique spots, and trades will be cooked up. To highlight some of our success from 2022, we saw the Bengals trade up to take a star named Tariq Woolen in the mid 40s, the Packers snagged a stud in Jalen Pitre with the 28th overall pick, and with the 98th overall pick, the Saints struck gold with the valuable Zach Tom. This year will be no different. Our GMs will once again be showcasing their unique abilities to find intriguing talent. Whether you know it or not, the draft has already begun and it resumes with The Pick Is In. Welcome to the 2023 NFL Draft. The Indianapolis Colts are on the clock…

Mitch Mason:

The Pick Is In: Steve Avila OL — TCU (2nd Round, 35th Overall)

steve avila
Photo Credit: TCU Athletics

Ah yes, the Indianapolis Colts are once again on the clock. I’ve speculated that the Colts could trade this pick to move up even one spot to secure their quarterback of the future, but that is for a different time and a different place. As it stands, Indy owns its second-round pick, and it’s a good one. In a draft that is missing a deep stable of blue-chip, “can’t-miss” prospects, we still find ourselves sorting through a wide variety of talent that will be solid NFL starters. Too often we get caught up trying to find the next gem and ignore the obvious value on the board. Drafting at the top of the second round allows the Colts to continue rebuilding their aging offensive line for a future signal caller. Hello, Steve Avila, you’re an Indianapolis Colt. 

As Senior Bowl Executive Director Jim Nagy points out in the highlight above, Avila is a passer’s best friend. After being an anchor in the interior for TCU during its magic run to the National Championship Game, Avila caught the attention of scouts nationwide. The 332-pound mountain from Arlington, Tex., put together the kind of season needed to shoot up draft boards and have your name called late on Day 1, or early on Day 2. His consistency earned him First-Team All-Big 12 honors and consensus All-American status. While he might not finish defenders off and compile pancake blocks like a Tyler Smith in Dallas, his frame and footwork allow him to provide his quarterback with time to throw and his runners a gap to hit. 

You’ll see a thread of reps against (likely) a fellow second-round pick in Mazi Smith from Michigan. Mazi wins the reps when he applies his strength and burst to get Avila off balance, but when Steve is able to set and let his feet go to work, Smith has a terrible time trying to get through. Avila’s flexibility as a guard or a center is a big asset to his longevity in the NFL. He’s known to most as the sturdy left guard for the Horned Frogs’ Cinderella run, but he was also a second-team all-conference pick in 2021 at center. I’ll leave you with maybe the most staggering stat of Avila’s career: In 515 pass-blocking snaps last season, he didn’t give up a single sack. The Colts offense can’t just rely on skill players to engineer a rebuild. They’ll need pieces like Avila to hold the line if they want to get back to winning AFC South titles.

Karan Jangra:

The Pick Is In: John Michael Schmitz C — Minnesota (2nd Round, 35th Overall)

john michael schmitz
Photo Credit: Kevin Abele/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

It’s no secret that the Indianapolis Colts were a very bad football team last season. Between an anemic on-field performance and lack of coaching, there just weren’t many positives to come away with. Most notably, Indy fielded arguably the league’s worst offense, a unit that struggled to move the ball on a weekly basis. It’s very likely that the Colts will spend their first-round pick on a quarterback, so what better to do than pair their rookie QB with a smart experienced center like Minnesota’s John Michael Schmitz?

The 6-foot-3, 301-pound senior earned First Team All-American honors this past season, after a strong campaign in which he allowed just eight pressures on the year and graded out as PFF’s top overall center. Additionally, Schmitz was among the hottest names at this year’s Senior Bowl, with many in attendance claiming he had one of, if not the best performance there. 

Schmitz’s main appeal as a prospect is how perfect of a fit he’ll be from day one in modern zone-scheme offenses. His lateral quickness and mobility as an athlete, mixed with consistently strong footwork and run blocking, will make him a highly-coveted asset. Schmitz’s biggest strength, however, comes in his elite football IQ. With nearly 3,500 snaps under his belt, many scouts and coaches have raved about Schmitz’s deep understanding of the game. There’s no reason to believe Schmitz can’t make an early impact with his combination of mobility, technical skill and intelligence. 

Newly-hired Colts head coach, and former Eagles OC, Shane Steichen will almost surely be following the blueprint his former team followed to success. Finding his Jalen Hurts is obviously important, but landing a Jason Kelce-esque center to be the brains of the offense proved to be an essential piece of the Eagles success.

About the author

Mitch Mason
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I've spent the majority of the last decade cutting my teeth in college sports, covering athletics for three separate universities and spent 2021 as an Assistant Athletic Director. I graduated from Texas A&M in 2019 and got my Masters from Dallas Baptist University two years later. My favorite CFB memory will always be Texas A&M's dramatic 7OT win over LSU in 2018, my final game as a student. My passion is telling stories and helping fans get to know their favorite athletes on a personal level, whether that be through articles or a broadcast.

Karan Jangra
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Proud California Golden Bears fan and aspiring football mind. I specialize in Pac-12 and NFL Draft coverage. My past experiences in journalism include covering the San Francisco 49ers, as well as creating film breakdowns on my own blog. I love the X’s and O’s just as much as anyone else, but also see value in numbers. My favorite CFB game ever was the 2007 Fiesta Bowl between Oklahoma and Boise State.

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