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Colts make Texas' Sam Ehlinger final QB taken in 2021 NFL draft

The final quarterback taken in the 2021 NFL draft is headed to the Indianapolis Colts.

With the 218th overall pick of the draft, the Colts selected quarterback Sam Ehlinger out of Texas, adding a four-year starter to its quarterback room.

The Colts' depth chart at quarterback previously consisted of Carson Wentz, Jacob Eason and Jalen Morton. Wentz, the former starter for the Philadelphia Eagles, was acquired earlier this year in exchange for a 2021 third-round pick (which became Iowa defensive end Chauncey Golston after being flipped to the Dallas Cowboys) and a conditional 2022 second-round pick.

Eason was drafted by the Colts in the fourth round of last year's draft, and he's the person the Ehlinger pick is most likely to affect in the short term. Eason and Ehlinger will likely compete for back-up duties behind Wentz.

Sam Ehlinger had a long Texas career

Ehlinger, a four-star recruit per Rivals, was thrust into starting duties his freshman year due to an injury to Shane Buechele, and took over as the full-time starter as a sophomore. In his senior year, he posted 2,566 passing yards (8.0 yards per attempt) with 26 touchdowns and five interceptions. He did plenty of damage on the ground, scoring 33 rushing touchdowns across his college career.

He also holds some online notoriety for his "We're baaaaaaack" statement after winning the 2019 Sugar Bowl:

Per Yahoo Sports' Eric Edholm, scouts believed Ehlinger's stock to be in the third-to-fifth-round range, but found his senior year to be a slight disappointment in terms of development. Questions remain around his ceiling as a passer and if his running can translate in the NFL.

Ehlinger was the last of 10 quarterbacks to hear his name called in the 2021 draft, with five taken in the first-round alone. Three more were gone by the end of the third round, a sign that teams are becoming more and more aggressive in finding a potential starter at the game's most valuable position.

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