Anthony Richardson Scouting Report and NFL Draft Profile

 

 

NFL Draft Measurables

Anthony Richardson 40 Yard Dash Time – 4.40 (estimate)

Size: 6’4″ / 232 lbs.

 

Anthony Richardson Scouting Report

 

 

Anthony Richardson NFL Draft Profile

Richardson is a former 4-star recruit from Eastside High School in Gainesville, FL. According to 247sports, he was ranked number 9 among all the dual-threat quarterbacks in the 2020 class. Although this was the case, I was shocked to see that he only had 17 offers. I was even more shocked to see that only 8 of them were from power five schools. After seeing this, I decided to do more research.

According to MaxPreps, Richardson was a four-year starter on varsity where he had a very productive career. In his freshman season, he played a total of 7 games and had a completion percentage of only 47.2%. He also only threw for 434 yards while only throwing 2 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. But he came back the next season more prepared. He completed 87 passes out of 169 attempts for 1,234 yards and 10 touchdowns. This is very impressive, but there is one major red flag that I have yet to mention. Although he threw 10 touchdowns, he threw 8 interceptions which is unacceptable.

His junior season was the season that put him on the map as a four-star recruit. He played in 11 games and threw for 1,567 yards and 17 touchdowns. That’s not all though, he also ran the ball 95 times for 924 yards and 16 touchdowns. Finally, his senior year he only played 6 games but was still very efficient. He threw for 1,398 yards and 8 touchdowns while only throwing a single interception.

 

Strengths

 

Mobility

The one part of Richardson’s game that impresses me the most is his mobility. In Florida’s opening game this season against Utah, he had 106 rushing yards and 3 rushing touchdowns. In this game, he showed there is a lot more to his game than just tucking the ball and running. Utah has a pretty good pass rush and Richardson did a good job of escaping that pressure. He did this by either moving around inside the pocket or scrambling out to the side. Not only did he do a good job of escaping pressure, but he also didn’t get sacked a single time.

This was also the case in the 7 games he played in 2021. In those games, he was only sacked a total of 3 times, 2 of which were against Georgia. Although he is good at escaping pressure, he is best at tucking the ball and running for a big gain. In lots of his film, he does a good job of showing that he can read the field like a running back. This allows him to maneuver through the defense and pick up solid yardage when he has no receiver open.

 

Quick Release

Although Richardson is more effective outside of the pocket, he does have a very quick release when inside the pocket. His quick release is really put on display when he is completing short and intermediate passes. He does a good job of quickly getting the ball to the receiver in the middle of the field. During the game against Utah, there were many plays where he had the ball for only 1-2 seconds before release. I will say though that although he has a quick release, his accuracy can be a little shaky. But I won’t get into that now, I will discuss that a little later when I talk about his weaknesses.

 

Throwing on the Run

As I mentioned earlier, his two biggest strengths are mobility and his quick release. That is why I believe that he is talented when throwing on the run as well. In order to be effective when on the move, you need to have several skills in your arsenal. These skills are mobility, athleticism, balance, quick release, arm strength, and accuracy. When watching his film, it is obvious that he contains mobility, athleticism, balance, quick release, and arm strength. Now I should mention that he needs to show me more of his arm strength before I call it a strength. But he has all those other tools needed to be effective on the run. This skill will translate to the NFL immediately if he can remain cool when under pressure. That is why I think he could be a special talent in the NFL.

 

Weaknesses

 

Accuracy

Although Richardson has a good completion percentage, I am a little worried about his accuracy. When watching his film, I often noticed that he struggled to hit his receiver in stride. This may not seem like a problem now because he does currently have a completion percentage of 70.8%. But I can guarantee you that if he cannot consistently hit a receiver in stride, he’ll struggle in the NFL. When looking at QBs who struggle to throw the ball where it needs to be, they often throw many interceptions. The best example that I can give in the NFL currently is Trevor Lawrence. Last season, Lawrence had a 59.6 completion percentage and threw 17 interceptions. I will admit, the arm talent is there for Richardson, he just has some work to do before the draft.

 

Patience in the Pocket

When watching Richardson’s film, I kept noticing one thing and that was his lack of patience in the pocket. As I briefly mentioned earlier, he often only has the ball for a second or two before he passes it. This is not what I’m worried about, I am worried about when he scrambles when it is unnecessary. Although he may be quick, there are many defenses in the NFL who punish quarterbacks for leaving the pocket. This kind of pressure can lead to sacks, fumbles, interceptions, and lots of other bad situations. Personally, I think that Richardson should keep this skill in his back pocket for when he needs it. Meanwhile, he should work on going through his progressions and finding the best option.

 

Anthony Richardson Draft Stock

If the draft was today, Richardson would likely get drafted at the beginning of the 2nd round. He has the potential to be a first-round pick, but I need to see higher production.

 

Final Thoughts On Anthony Richardson Scouting Report

Overall, I think that Richardson has secured his spot in the top 5 quarterbacks of the 2023 NFL Draft. He has great versatility, because he can make plays inside and outside of the pocket. If he can continue to develop his patience and accuracy, he will make an NFL fan base very happy in the future.

 

Player Comparison

He reminds me a lot of Lamar Jackson coming out of Louisville. He also shows glimpses of similarities to current Louisville QB Malik Cunningham.

 

Anthony Richardson Scouting Report Analyst – Matthew Lewis