Next up on our scouting report series ahead of the 2023 NFL draft is Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson, who is undoubtedly one of the most polarizing prospects in this entire class.
Some people are infatuated with his limitless ceiling and undeniable potential, while others see nothing more than another overhyped quarterback.
The reality is that both of those are true to a certain extent.
There is no denying that Richardson has franchise-altering physical traits, but there is no telling if he will ever refine his game to the point where he can maximize his dynamic skill set to the fullest.
This article is going to provide you with an educated opinion on Richardson’s potential as a pro prospect. Before we get started, a quick reminder that all of the grades and individual rankings that are included are my own opinions after spending the last few months studying each of these individuals.
Richardson has been a popular topic of conversation as of late, so let’s find out what it is exactly that makes AR15 such an intriguing player.
College accolades
- 13 Career starts
- All-SEC Freshman Team (2021)
2022 stats
Passing Yards: 2,549
Rushing Yards: 654
Total Touchdowns: 26
Interceptions: 9
Turnover Worthy %: 3.3
Big Time Throw %: 5.5
Adjusted Completion %: 64.1
Combine Measurables
- Height: 6’4’’
- Weight: 244 Pounds
- Hand Size: 10 ½ ”
- Arm length: 32 ¾ ”
- 40-time: 4.43
- RAS: 10.0
Reasons to buy in
- Has superstar traits that eventually could make him one of the best QBs in the NFL if he ever reaches his ceiling.
- Probably won’t be Rookie of the Year, but very well could one day become a league MVP if he gets in the right situation.
- Ridiculous athlete that is a legitimate dual-threat weapon.
- Possesses a cannon for an arm that can make every throw.
- Not nearly as much of a project as narrative portrays.
- Capable of making checks at the line of scrimmage, often getting his guys in the right situation pre-snap.
- Does a good job of going through his progressions and attacking the defense, both on and off schedule.
- Rare playmaker at the position and possesses the most ridiculous highlight reel in the draft.
Areas of concern
- Frustratingly inconsistent – one minute he is doing something spectacular, and the next he will miss a wide-open target.
- Sloppy mechanics that desperately need to be refined.
- Gets lazy with his footwork, leading to way too many inaccurate passes because he becomes overly reliant on his arm talent instead of trying to sync the two together.
- Has a dangerously-low floor.
- Could do a better job of being more manipulative with his eyes post-snap.
- Only one year of starting experience and that season was riddled with inconsistencies and underwhelming production as a passer.
- Isn’t the type of prospect that you could just hand the keys of the franchise to. He would greatly benefit from sitting his entire rookie season and developing his game in a controlled environment.
Conclusion and clips
The peak of the Anthony Richardson experience is what I would imagine you would get if a massive cyborg decided to disguise themselves as a quarterback.
Although he may be a true boom-or-bust prospect at the quarterback position, the things that he is capable of are otherworldly at times.
The unfortunate part about it all is those moments are usually few and far between, and sandwiched in the middle of them are a ton of inconsistencies.
However, a lot of the narratives out there about him are severely exaggerated and people forget that drafting your quarterback is more than a one-year investment.
If your team wants the Rookie of the Year, AR15 probably is not the guy you want to go with.
Now, if your team wants someone who has the potential to becoming a franchise-altering talent over time, then Richardson is absolutely the guy you want to bet on.
You can’t teach traits and he has everything a team could possibly want if it were to build a franchise quarterback in a laboratory.
He’s a massive signal-caller with explosive athleticism that is capable of beating you with both his arm and legs.
The cannon he has disguised as his right arm is capable of making every throw on the football field.
Those throws may not be the most accurate at times, but Richardson tends to have some real aesthetically pleasing passes that can travel 60 yards in the air or travel 60 miles per hour on a rope.
He combines that weapon with a rare ability to bounce off contact and produce long, game-changing runs at any moment.
From a mental standpoint, I wouldn’t call him as cerebral as Bryce Young or C.J. Stroud, but Richardson is much further along than he is given credit for. He’s not some project that you’ll have to teach the intricacies of the position to.
His areas for improvement mostly surround his ability to consistently blend his unique skill set with fundamentally-sound technique.
There are far too many examples on tape of AR15 making the right read, but his poor lower-body mechanics ultimately create an unacceptable outcome.
The Florida project is far enough in his development that he probably could play at some point in Year 1, but chances are the growing pains won’t be pretty.
Richardson would significantly benefit from having the luxury of sitting behind an established veteran and learning for a full season.
If a team puts him in a situation where he can patiently develop in a controlled environment with no immediate pressure to elevate anybody but himself, AR15 has the chance to become a truly special talent.
Whichever team ends up drafting this kid must have a plan in place as well as an emphatic belief in their coaching staff to eventually get the most out of him.
The way things are trending it seems highly unlikely, but if he is still on the board when Tennessee is on the clock with the No. 11 pick, they’ll have a serious decision to make as to whether or not they want to swing for the fences at the most important position.
