Every time a new superstar quarterback takes the NFL by storm, the 31 teams who don’t have that guy go looking for him in the draft.
Those guys are rare for a reason, though, and it’s highly unlikely that you’ll find a Lamar Jackson or Patrick Mahomes or Josh Allen in every class.
That said, if a quarterback-needy team is looking for the next Allen in the 2023 NFL draft, they just might find one in Florida’s Anthony Richardson.
If you’re not impressed with Richardson’s stat line so far this season, that’s not surprising. He’s certainly had his struggles, particularly early in the season, when it came to making sound decisions in the pocket, and being consistent with his accuracy and ball placement.
But Richardson’s numbers through the air have slowly improved every week recently. Prior to Saturday’s upset loss to Vanderbilt, Richardson had gone four games without throwing an interception (Georgia, LSU, Texas A&M, South Carolina).
Even in defeat against the Commodores on Saturday, Richardson put on a show, throwing for 400 yards and three touchdowns.
It’s easy to watch Richardson’s film this season and be reminded of Allen’s last year at Wyoming, when he flashed otherworldly potential alongside some head-scratching moments. His completion percentage wasn’t impressive, his penchant for playing hero ball on every snap got him into trouble just as often as it helped, and he was plagued by the same decision-making and consistency issues that Richardson dealt with earlier this season.
But when the Bills traded up five spots in the 2018 NFL draft to select Allen with the No. 7 overall selection, it wasn’t because of what he couldn’t do. It was because of his limitless potential, thanks to a rare combination of size, athleticism, arm talent, and competitiveness, which could often culminate in highlight-reel plays that looked physically impossible.
Go back to Allen’s rookie season in Buffalo, and you’ll still see just how far away he was from the MVP candidate he’s become. Much of what he struggled with was coached up, and his development has been incredible to watch.
Richardson has many of the same traits that made Allen such an enticing prospect at the game’s most important position. It won’t be surprising if another NFL team banks on that sky-high ceiling with a top-10 pick again this time around.
