With the Carolina Panthers suddenly riding the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ bumper in the race for the NFC South, thoughts of an early “draft season” for fans have begun to dissipate. But that doesn’t mean we still can’t look ahead to April.
And that’s precisely what Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar did on Thursday, as he published his latest first-round mock for the 2023 draft. Heading into Week 15, the Panthers are currently in the No. 9 spot of the order—which apparently still isn’t too low to grab their quarterback of the future.
For Farrar’s choosing, it’s University of Florida’s Anthony Richardson. He writes:
“There are those who will tell you that Richardson is a two-year project in the NFL. Yes, he is an unfinished prospect, and he will need further development. But his Florida tape shows a player who can make a Justin Fields-level impact as a runner and as a deep thrower. As is the case with Fields, the short and intermediate stuff can be a bit of a mystery, but he’d give the Panthers all kinds of options at the position they don’t have right now, and there’s a ton of potential over time.”
This is the second time in as many weeks our friends mocked Richardson to Carolina. Draft Wire editor Luke Easterling also sent the dual-threat 6-foot-4, 231-pounder to the Panthers last Thursday.
And, hey, maybe it’s not even a rough idea for the Panthers if Richardson is a two-year project (which he probably isn’t). Maybe Bearded Sam Darnold can hold down the fort until then.
