Who will draft Anthony Richardson
Anthony Richardson remains one of the biggest enigmas when it comes to the 2023 NFL Draft class.
The Florida quarterback, who spent three seasons with the college, is seen as a first-round prospect.
However, no one can quite predict where he will end up. Nobody is quite sure whether he is a top five pick, top ten pick, just a first rounder, or whether he could even be the first overall selection.
This is due to a combination of college inconsistencies and a great pro day and combine. Here are some possible destinations for Richardson.
1st Overall- Carolina Panthers
Could he go first overall? After all, the last time they had a quarterback like Richardson is his NFL comparison, Cam Newton.
The comparison is there to see, both having played for the Florida Gators and both possessing the ability to excite on the ground.
Richardson ran for 654 yards and nine touchdowns in his final year in college. However, it should be noted that Newton ran for 1,473 in his final season at college. This is more than Richardson achieved in his entire three years in college.
Cam also threw for 30 touchdowns and seven interceptions in his final college season. Richardson threw for 24 touchdowns and 15 interceptions in his entire college career.
This would not be a good fit for Richardson, as he would also be put on the field straight away. The simple reality is that he is not NFL ready.
Whilst he has the athleticism and on his day, he can excite like nobody else, he was massively inconsistent during his time with Florida.
This is not to say he can’t go on to become one of the top quarterbacks in the league. After all, Josh Allen was inconsistent in the college level. However, Richardson will not turn into anything like Allen if he is put on the field straight away.
This is why the Panthers should avoid taking the risk, despite the upside that Richardson could bring. We have seen crazier things happen on draft day.
4th Overall- Indianapolis Colts
The Colts are in a tricky position where, unless they trade up, they will not have the top two quarterback prospects available barring either the Panthers or Houston Texans shocking everyone by going defense.
Ever since Andrew Luck’s retirement, the Colts have gone through a different veteran quarterback each year. They all have one thing in common, they are pocket passers.
Drafting Richardson would be a complete change to what they have done in recent years, but they also haven’t won a playoff game since Luck retired. Perhaps owner Jim Irsay and general manager Chris Ballard may feel the time is right to go down a different route.
With a new head coach who has worked with a mobile quarterback, this may be another deciding factor for the Colts taking Richardson. Shane Steichen was the offensive coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles for two seasons. In these campaigns, they made the playoffs in both and reached the Super Bowl in February.
Having worked with Jalen Hurts and got the best out of him, Richardson will be at a great fit.
5th Overall- Seattle Seahawks
This is another great fit for the QB, due to head coach Pete Carroll’s run-first offense.
Richardson would be just the type of quarterback Carroll would love, and with receivers such as D.K. Metcalf, there are targets to throw to that will help Richardson’s inconsistencies lessen in the air.
With current starting quarterback Geno Smith winning Comeback Player of the Year, there is no need for Richardson to start straight away. He is far from being the finished product and the opportunity to sit behind Smith can only help.
Smith signed a three-year contract last month, and these three years will give Richardson the chance to learn from a seasoned pro, someone who is the model professional off and on the field. For someone who had a 53.8% completion record for the Gators in 2022, the chance to learn from the 2022 completion percentage leader in Smith will help elevate Richardson’s game.
7th Overall- Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders are another team that will offer Richardson the chance to learn and develop, and there is no better quarterback to sit behind than Jimmy Garoppolo.
Whilst he has his limitations, Garoppolo is someone you want to learn from. Reports have come out that Garoppolo was extremely helpful to the young quarterbacks whilst with the San Francisco 49ers, helping Trey Lance and Brock Purdy.
Garoppolo is steady in the passing game and will be a massive help for Richardson.
Whether the Raiders need him or not, the front office may feel he has too much of an upside not to pass on should he still be available at pick number seven.
19th overall- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The most unlikely destination, but you never know.
We have seen plenty of smoke screens in the NFL draft, most recently when the 49ers made everyone believe they were going to take Mac Jones at three.
In the end, Jones went at pick number 15. Considering how he wasn’t thought of much as a top pick prior to the 2022 season and even midway through, he is someone that could fall.
This is especially so with the lack of consistent college play.
Tampa Bay signed Baker Mayfield this offseason to succeed Tom Brady, but only to a one-year deal. This does not suggest that the Buccaneers front office are completely sold by Mayfield.
With his struggles in his final year with the Cleveland Browns and his disaster with the Panthers, Mayfield has not convinced people that he is a starter in the NFL moving forward, despite his good performances with the Los Angeles Rams late last season.
If Richardson is there when the Bucs are on the clock at number 19, they will feel they have to take a chance. After all, nobody had Jones going that late in all the 2021 NFL Mock Drafts.
Whoever takes Richardson, will get one of the most intriguing prospects in this year’s NFL Draft.