Drayage Brokersin Indianapolis, IN

If the Chicago Bears actually trade Justin Fields and select a quarterback with the No. 1 overall pick, should the Indianapolis Colts be interested in Fields?

The Chicago Bears are the lucky team with the No. 1 overall draft pick entering the 2023 NFL Draft. With the first pick, Chicago has a ton of options. The Bears could select one of the elite defenders: Will Anderson or Jalen Carter, or they could trade the pick to a quarterback-needy team like the Indianapolis Colts and get several more picks in return. One of the other options that have been discussed, is Chicago trading Justin Fields and drafting one of the top QBs in this draft class.

This has been a polarizing topic as the draft approaches. Some have argued that a prospect like Bryce Young has a far higher ceiling than Justin Fields, so Chicago should go all in on Young. Others have made the case that Fields has shown what he can do in this league and the Bears just need to adequately build around him. While the world will get more clarity about Chicago’s plans as the draft approaches, it’s fair to ask if Indy should be interested in Justin Fields if the Bears do decide to move on from him?

Should Colts trade for Justin Fields?

There’s been a lot of discussion about Indianapolis trading for Chicago’s No. 1 pick but would Indy settle for Fields? They should if that’s an option. If the Bears are really willing to trade away a promising Fields to gamble on a quarterback that hasn’t played in the league yet, the Colts should be all in on acquiring Justin Fields.

For starters, if the Bears go this route, Fields may end up being Indy’s best option. With Fields on the move, Chicago would likely select Bryce Young at No. 1 and the Houston Texans would probably take CJ Stroud at No. 2. If the Arizona Cardinals stay at No. 3, the next best available quarterbacks by the time Indy gets on the clock will be Anthony Richardson and Will Levis, two polarizing prospects. So the question for the Colts is: would they prefer Fields, Richardson, or Levis? The answer is easily Fields.

Colts should trade for Justin Fields if available

There’s no way anyone could watch what Shane Steichen did with Jalen Hurts the last two seasons, then fantasize about what he could do with Anthony Richardson or Will Levis, and not be excited if Steichen had the opportunity to build an offense around Justin Fields. Aside from Hurts, Fields is the only other quarterback in this discussion that’s taken snaps in the NFL and have already done things really well at this level.

Fields may not have established himself as an elite NFL quarterback yet, but his first two years has shown that he has the ability to become one. Playing in a Bears offense with mediocre weapons and behind an offensive line that may be the only line worst than Indy’s, Fields was running for his life weekly, and still found ways to make plays. In 2022, Fields completed 60.4% of his passes for 2,242 yards, 17 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. On the ground, he added 1,143 yards and eight touchdowns.

He was dominant with his rushing ability and still flashed the promising throwing ability that made him a coveted prospect when he was coming out of college. If the Colts come away from draft weekend with Justin Fields as their quarterback, they’ll have a really promising young QB to build around.

The Indianapolis Colts made it clear this offseason that they are determined to find a young, franchise quarterback to build the team around. While Alabama star Bryce Young is atop the 2023 NFL Draft QB rankings, another signal-caller could be their target.

Holding the fourth overall pick, general manager Chris Ballard would need to trade up to No. 1 overall to have his choice of quarterbacks. If Indianapolis stands pat, with the Houston Texans in front of them, it risks losing the best quarterback prospect in the NFL Draft to a divisional rival.

The Chicago Bears are already fielding calls on the No. 1 overall pick, with a preference to move down within the top-5 selections. While Indianapolis would face competition from the Las Vegas Raiders and Carolina Panthers to move up for a quarterback, it can offer one of the strongest trade packages to Chicago.

If the Colts landed the top pick, the assumption is Young would be headed to Indianapolis. The 2021 Heisman Trophy winner is the most polished quarterback prospect in the 2023 draft class with evaluators raving about his poise, football IQ, maturity and leadership.

“The Alabama guy doesn’t look bad, I’ll tell ya.”

Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay on Bryce Young during Shane Steichen’s introductory press conference

However, there isn’t a true consensus on this year’s quarterback class. Some NFL scouts view Kentucky quarterback Will Levis as a potential No. 1 pick. Meanwhile, former Florida Gators star Anthony Richardson is generating a lot of pre-draft hype. But another option could be the next starter for Indianapolis.

An NFL source told CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones that C.J. Stroud could be the quarterback the Colts go after, given he checks off some important boxes for the organization.

“Stroud fits the physical mold of a Ballard player more than Young. The Colts have had one of the biggest teams in all of football, and they’ve always had big quarterbacks in what is likely a leftover mentality instilled there by Bill Polian. From Peyton Manning to Andrew Luck and then just about every quarterback the Colts have wandered the wilderness with since Luck retired, the Colts like tall and/or big quarterbacks.”

Stroud, a two-time Heisman Trophy candidate, was one of the best quarterbacks in college football over the last two seasons. While he isn’t as athletic as Young, the 6-foot-3 frame means he has prototypical NFL size. Amid growing concerns with Young’s frame holding up for a decade-plus NFL career, Stroud would meet certain criteria for the Colts’ evaluation process.

In the College Football Playoff Semifinal against the Georgia Bulldogs defense, Stroud played like a player worth the No. 1 overall pick. Not only did he deliver the best performance by a quarterback against the No. 1 defense in college football over the last two seasons, he also displayed a surprising ability to extend plays with his legs.

If Stroud delivers a strong performance at the NFL Combine, testing better athletically than evaluators expect, it’s very possible he jumps to No. 1 on quarterback rankings and becomes the quarterback the Colts covet.

This article first appeared on Sportsnaut and was syndicated with permission.

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(CNN) — The storm system that brought blizzard warnings to Southern California on Friday and Saturday will produce a significant damaging wind event across the central US on Sunday.

By midday Sunday, the Storm Prediction Center was forecasting a derecho to develop Sunday afternoon and evening. A derecho is a widespread, long-lived, straight-line windstorm associated with a fast-moving group of severe thunderstorms.

“A derecho is forecast with widespread damaging winds and embedded swaths of significant severe gusts from 80-110 mph, centered on parts of Oklahoma this evening into tonight,” the storm center said. “Embedded tornadoes are anticipated as well, with the greatest potential for strong (EF2-EF3) tornadoes across southwest Oklahoma this evening.”

Winds from 80-110 mph are equivalent to a Category 2 Atlantic hurricane.

If a swath of damaging winds extends more than 240 miles and includes wind gusts of 58 mph or greater along most of its length, then the event may be classified as a derecho, according to the National Weather Service.

The highest severe storm risk today, a Level 4 out of 5 or moderate risk, has been issued across portions of western Oklahoma and Texas. Cities under this risk include Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Lawton, and Enid in Oklahoma. This area is where the highest chance of a strong tornado will be late Sunday afternoon.

This is the first Level 4 out of 5 risk issued so far this year, the last Level 4 risk was issued on December 14, 2022, when a tornado touched down in New Orleans.

Overall, more than 20 million people are under the threat of severe storms Sunday from western Texas to Illinois, including Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Kansas City, Fort Worth and St. Louis.

“A significant damaging wind event is expected from the eastern Texas Panhandle into much of Oklahoma and southeast Kansas late this afternoon through this evening,” the Storm Predication Center wrote in their forecast discussion early Sunday morning.

Damaging wind gusts of more than 75 mph will be possible, as well as a couple strong tornadoes. Frequent lightning and hail are also possible.

The greatest tornado threat will be “early in the event” according to the storm center, meaning late this afternoon as storms track across portions of western-north Texas and southwestern Oklahoma.

This will then quickly transition into a damaging wind event Sunday evening and into the overnight hours as the storms form into a squall line, which is a continuous and narrow band of thunderstorms that form ahead of a cold front.

“The storms will eventually evolve into a squall line,” the National Weather Service office in Norman, Oklahoma, said. Adding that embedded tornadoes within this squall line will still be possible as the storms track east.

The storms will also be moving rather quickly, racing east and northeast from 60-80 mph, which will only add to the damaging wind threat.

“Damaging wind potential will not be confined to the thunderstorms themselves,” the Norman weather service office said. “Very strong winds and potentially damaging winds will be possible even in the general wind field after the storms move through.”

Wind alerts are currently in place for over 65 million people from Arizona to Ohio, including Albuquerque, Oklahoma City, Dallas, Memphis, Atlanta, St. Louis and Cincinnati.

“Some models have been suggesting a narrow line of very strong winds moving through areas about three hours or so after the storms move through,” the weather service in Norman added.

Wind gusts of 60 to 75 mph are possible across the Southwest and western Texas behind these severe storms. And gusts of 40 to 55 mph are forecast across the central Plains through the Ohio River Valley.

By Monday morning, the threat of severe storms will shift to the north and east over the Ohio River Valley, where a Level 2 out of 5 risk has been issued. This includes Indianapolis, Cincinnati, and Louisville.

The main threats on Monday will be frequent lightning, damaging winds, hail, and a few tornadoes.

As this same system continues its trek eastward, it will bring the threat of heavy rain, snow, and ice to the Northeast and mid-Atlantic on Monday night which could lead to travel disruptions.

Snowfall totals from 6-12 inches are forecast for much of the Northeast, while light freezing rain is possible across northern portions of the mid-Atlantic.

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The organization Indy Achieves works to close the city’s skills and wage gap by increasing access to post-secondary education. That includes counseling that connects college-bound students with financial aid programs, like the 21st Century Scholars initiative and the Frank O’Bannon grant. Those are programs that pay up to 100 percent of a student’s tuition at some Indiana colleges.

Indy Achieves began in 2019, started by Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett. It’s part of EmployIndy, Marion County’s Workforce Development Board. Grants and programs are available for Marion County residents attending Ivy Tech or IUPUI.

This month, the administration announced Indy Achieves’s new Executive Director, Esther Woodson.

WFYI’s Sydney Dauphinais spoke with Woodson about her goals for the future of the organization.

Sydney Dauphinais: Can you tell us about the skills gap in Indianapolis and what areas need the most attention?

Esther Woodson: There's a gap within all jobs across Marion County. And so our job at Indy Achieves that we want to do is close that gap with those graduating out of high school and then adults, period, to obtain a bachelor's degree to be successful citizens in Indianapolis. Because we know, too, Indianapolis is one of those cities where almost weekly you see companies doing groundbreakings, and they're going to need individuals to come work for them in those careers and jobs.

Dauphinais: What kind of work do you do with K-12 students?

Woodson: That's the fun part with Indy Achieves. I have the pleasure of working with Marion County middle schools for that 21st Century Scholar completion, as well as that high school side with FAFSA completion, scholar track completion for 21st Century Scholars, and as well as navigating those high school seniors that are graduating, that are going on to our partner institutions of Ivy Tech, or IUPUI, who are 21st Century Scholars, Frank O'Bannon, or receiving any other type of state aid to join the Indy Achieves Promise program.

Dauphinais: Can you talk a little bit more about the partnerships?

Woodson: We have both our Promise Completion program, which are majority graduating high school seniors who have turned the tassel – again, they have completed that FAFSA, they receive any type of state aid. And so if they meet those requirements – and also being a Marion County resident – they meet those requirements, they are paired with one of our student success coaches. Right now, we have three student success coaches on the IUPUI campus, and two on the campus of Ivy Tech.

Now, while they're not academic advisors, they're helping these students navigate this new world called college. A lot of the students that we serve, especially those directly out of high school, are first generation college students. And so they don't know financial aid, bursar, and the different terminologies and things for college. And so you can almost look at our student success coaches as that primary care physician, who then tells the students where to go for those specialties that they need.

Dauphinais: How does the work that you do with K-12 students differ from the work that you do with adults?

Woodson: Basically, with the K-12, we're helping those students in Marion County high schools, making sure they complete those requirements for 21st Century Scholars. Now, on the adult side, what we are doing, especially at Ivy Tech and IUPUI, our completion grants are [for] a lot of our adult students. And those students are students who have been students at some point at Ivy Tech or IUPUI, and they stopped out for whatever reason. And so with our completion grants, we're able to help them financially and paying whatever back debt they have with a college or university to get them back started.

Dauphinais: So it's both completion and access that you're focusing on.

Woodson: Absolutely. Our completion grants are kind of twofold. Reconnect, which again, are those students who stopped out for whatever reason, and one thing we're seeing with our reconnection grants is that it wasn't the academics for the students, because we're seeing GPAs of 3., 3.6 and higher. So of course, it wasn't the academics, it was probably financial and just life that got in the way for these students. And with our reaching completion grants, we want to make sure those students who are close to turning that tassel at Ivy Tech or IUPUI, can actually reach that finish line. If again, they are coming up short on financial aid, we want to make sure they reach that finish line with our reaching completion grants.

Dauphinais: What are your future goals for the program?

Woodson: I want to take our program on the road. I know we've done this in the past prior to COVID. And I want to get back to this because again, I believe in coming on the student's turf during their time, not asking them to leave school and then come back. So again, taking the coaching program on the road, having my students or excuse me, my coaches, talk to students at the high schools that are going to Ivy Tech and IUPUI again, so they can meet them and at least know one face on campus before they get there.

Dauphinais: Thank you so much for talking with me today. It's been a pleasure.

Woodson: Thank you, Sydney.

Contact WFYI economic equity reporter Sydney Dauphinais at sdauphinais@wfyi.org. Follow on Twitter: @syddauphinais.

Tags:Indy AchievesEsther Woodson

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The NFL world will converge on Indianapolis for the 2023 NFL combine this week as the Colts and the rest of the league gather for one of the offseason’s biggest events.

While the on-field testing is what most fans look forward to during this week, teams also get the chance to interview prospects face-to-face. This is a vital part of the draft process, especially for a team like the Colts.

As they begin their search for a potential franchise quarterback, they won’t get to watch Alabama’s Bryce Young go through the throwing drills as he’s reportedly saving his arm for his pro day later in the month on March 23.

Meanwhile, the Colts will get to see Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud sling it, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

Ohio State QB C.J. Stroud will throw at this week’s NFL Scouting Combine, while Alabama QB Bryce Young will wait to do so for his pro day, sources tell me and @TomPelissero.

Young is long past his AC joint injury from this season, but he’ll just do interviews in Indy.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 27, 2023

In addition to this, Florida’s Anthony Richardson will run through the drills as well, hoping to raise his draft stock even more with some elite measurables.

Meanwhile, Florida QB Anthony Richardson plans to throw and do all testing and drills, per source. A showcase for the physically gifted Richardson, who has a chance to rise through the pre-draft process. https://t.co/mTgq6sANxa

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) February 27, 2023

The testing and measurables will matter for the Colts, but the interviews may hold more weight at this point in the offseason. It’s far too early in the process to have complete draft grades on these prospects, but the interviews will play a major role.

We detailed the list of prospects and schedule for the combine upcoming this week.

This should be a wild time over the next two months as we debate between the quarterback prospects and whether the Colts will trade up to the No. 1 overall pick with the Chicago Bears.

But we won’t see Young do much throughout the combine this week other than possibly weigh in.