Florida Gators quarterback Anthony Richardson as expected, has tested extremely well, breaking some NFL Scouting Combine QB marks.
How should the Commanders feel about Richardson?
If you like SEC football and watched even just a few of the Florida Gators 2022 games, you most likely saw QB Anthony Richardson make some spectacular plays.
Consequently, for those who have seen many of Richardson’s games for Florida, it was absolutely not the slightest surprise to find Richardson at the scouting combine scoring the highest among quarterbacks in the 40, the vertical jump and broad jump. Richardson is simply one of the most explosive athletes to have ever played the position.
Anthony Richardson's ranks among QBs at the 2023 NFL Combine:
Height: 6' 4 1/4" (1st)
Weight: 244 (1st)
40-Yd: 4.43 (1st)
Vertical: 40.5" (1st)
Broad: 10'9" (1st)💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽
— NFL Research (@NFLResearch) March 4, 2023
Head coach Ron Rivera made it clear this past week that for now, Sam Howell is the QB1, but he is not necessarily the starter. Understandably, Howell is Rivera’s top guy for now. If anyone comes his way that he feels can be the starter, then, of course, Rivera will look at that player as well.
Richardson has tremendous upside. His ceiling could be much higher than we imagine, seeing he already tested better in three ways than Cam Newton did.
The Cam Newton comparison might be significant and quite relevant, seeing Rivera drafted and went with Newton during his days of coaching the Carolina Panthers.
Anthony Richardson RAS so far.
And there it is.https://t.co/g6dAq3ALm4 #RAS pic.twitter.com/p8isZWrHp4
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) March 4, 2023
Yet, there is this. Rivera is entering the fourth year of a five-year contract. He has won 7,7 and 8 games his first three seasons. If Rivera doesn’t have a winner this upcoming 2023 season, the new owner may determine to go with his own chosen head coach at that time.
Richardson this week is shooting up draft boards, and once everyone calms down and looks again at actual game film of Richardson actually passing the ball in 2022, he most likely will level out and could be available at the No. 16 Washington selection.
However, look for Ron Rivera and the Commanders to pass on Richardson, understandably choosing to draft a player who can best contribute to the 2023 Commanders team.
