Heading into the 2022 college football season, few prospects were as intriguing and promising at Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson.
After a massive upset win in The Swamp over then-No. 7 Utah, Richardson’s draft stock went through the roof, sending him flying up into the same mock draft stratosphere as Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud and Alabama’s Bryce Young.
Just as quickly, it seems the hype surrounding Richardson has come back down to earth after back-to-back performances that revealed just how much development he still needs as a pro quarterback prospect.
The week after taking down Utah, Richardson struggled in a 26-16 loss to Kentucky, completing just 14 of his 35 pass attempts for 143 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions. He wasn’t even his typically dynamic self as a runner in that game either, managing just four yards on six rushing attempts.
Those struggles continued Saturday night, as the Gators barely escaped an upset loss at home to USF, needing a pair of fumbled snaps on the Bulls’ final drive to seal a 31-28 victory. Richardson went 10-for-18 through the air for just 112 yards, once again with no touchdowns and a pair of picks. On the ground, he tallied only 24 yards on seven carries.
.@Dreadhead_wayne with the pick and 38-yard return for the Bulls!!! 🔥🏈#AmericanFB x @USFFootball pic.twitter.com/RggeCFfqu6
— American Football (@American_FB) September 18, 2022
In both disappointing performances, Richardson struggled with accuracy, ball placement, decision-making and anticipation, many of the most important traits NFL scouts and executives are looking for in a potential franchise quarterback.
Richardson may yet develop into that kind of player, but these last two weeks have proven that he’s just not there yet.
