Indianapolis Colts rookie Anthony Richardson has been praised for his mentality after "attacking" minicamp over the weekend.
Richardson was selected by the Colts with the fourth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. The AFC South team hope the former Florida quarterback will become the new face of the franchise fans have been longing for since Andrew Luck abruptly retired in 2019.
However, the Colts have not yet put a timeline on Richardson becoming the franchise’s starting quarterback. Indianapolis signed Gardner Minshew earlier this offseason, so there is experience and a buffer should Richardson not be ready to start come September.
Richardson became the talk of the draft when he impressed scouts at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, but many questioned whether he would be able to transition to the league given his difficult college career. Last weekend, Richardson enjoyed his first taste of action since turning pro as he attended rookie minicamp.
And new Colts head coach Shane Steichen was immediately impressed with the athletic 20-year-old who showed promising early signs regarding his attitude and application to becoming a star NFL quarterback.
“He’s come in every day attacking this thing like a pro,” Steichen said according to JJ Stankewitz of the Colts’ website. “And we just got to continue to be consistent with it every single day.”
The minicamp was held to allow coaches to become more familiar with their new additions. Steichen was quick to point out Richardson’s demeanour was encouraging and he believes it will help him thrive in the NFL going forwards.
“He’s got a great presence,” the rookie head coach added. “He’s got a great bounce in his step, he’s always smiling, got great energy, enthusiastic.
“I think when you have that, I think players around him will feed off him.”
Colts star running back Jonathan Taylor recently said Richardson reminded him of Jalen Hurts and Lamar Jackson armed with the size of Cam Newton, who dominated en route to winning NFL MVP honours in 2015. At the combine, Richardson claimed he identified with Newton and Jackson, a pair of exciting quarterbacks who can beat defences with both their arms and their legs.
“Growing up, it was always Cam Newton for me," the former Florida quarterback said when asked to compare himself to a recent pro player. “But then, when I got to high school, just seeing how dynamic Lamar (Jackson) was, I tried to implement both of those guys in my life.
“I started calling myself Cam Jackson in 11th grade, just trying to make plays.”
Richardson’s inconsistent throwing mechanics and alarming inaccuracy saw him complete just 55% of his passes during his time in college, while he passed for 2,549 yards along with 17 touchdowns and nine interceptions in 2022 - but NFL franchises were intrigued. The Colts decided to pull the trigger and it appears Steichen is glad Richardson has ended up in Indianapolis.
