Another day, another rumbling of the Carolina Panthers’ affinity for one of the 2023 draft’s top quarterbacks.
In the latest edition of his “Football Morning in America” column, NBC Sports scribe Peter King gave his thoughts about the team’s massive move up for this year’s No. 1 overall pick. Among his notes was one on University of Florida’s Anthony Richardson, who apparently has quite the fan in Panthers head coach Frank Reich.
King writes:
I’ve heard the same rumors everyone else has—that Frank Reich loves Florida QB Anthony Richardson. And he may be the pick. But I’m a bit skeptical. Nothing against Richardson, who is one of the most interesting QB prospects in the past few drafts. I wonder, though, about trading two first-round picks, two second-round picks and one of your five best players for a player with a high ceiling but with one year as a college starter. Trading to number one and choosing Richardson might turn out to be brilliant. But picking Richardson number one after dealing five prime pieces for him is a major risk.
Considering he made just 13 starts at the collegiate level, Richardson is certainly not the safest choice of the bunch—a group that also includes Alabama’s Bryce Young, Ohio State’s CJ Stroud and Kentucky’s Will Levis. But the 6-foot-4, 244-pound passer certainly possesses the most potential of the class—as displayed during his record-breaking combine performance.
King also writes that he doesn’t believe the Panthers are absolutely sure of who’ll take take on April 27. So, for now, we could just be in a game of smoke, mirrors and uncertainty.
