There’s no denying Anthony Richardson is an extremely gifted quarterback.
The 21-year-old Florida native and 2023 NFL Draft prospect is also undoubtedly one of the most divisive entrants in recent memory.
His highlight tape oozes talent with powerful deep throws, Richardson evading defenders in the open field and mind-boggling speed for someone who’s 6-foot-4.
Because of this extraordinary skillset, rumors have been swirling the past week about him being the first overall pick. Odds have seen a significant swing for Richardson to be the first player off the board in April.
His statistics, however, are certainly not as eye-popping as his tape and he sometimes makes questionable decisions. Richardson threw nine interceptions in 2022 and only had a 53.8 completion percentage.
Even with some NFL scouts drooling over Richardson’s potential, there are those who have him slated as a fourth-round pick, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
“I can’t remember a bigger variance league-wide on a feeling about a quarterback than Anthony Richardson,” Fowler said on “NFL Live” Thursday night. “I’ve talked to multiple teams who’s scouting departments have first-round grades and fourth-round grades on the same player.”
One exec told Fowler he sees a Cam Newton-Justin Fields hybrid in Richardson. He’s been compared to another great NFL quarterback as well.
“[Josh] Allen had this great throw at the combine when he was coming out — it was like a 70-yard bomb — and it kind of made us all sit up and take notice,” one NFL GM said, per ESPN’s NFL Draft Analyst Matt Miller. “Richardson will do that, too.”
Many believe that another year in college would help clean up some of the tendencies that lead to poor play and tame his raw talent overall. Because of the question marks surrounding Richardson, it’s likely a team who already has an established quarterback will draft him in hopes of developing him.
The Post’s Steve Serby has Richardson landing in Atlanta with the No. 9 pick in his first mock draft, despite the team starting 2022 third-rounder Desmond Ridder down the stretch. Veteran Marcus Mariota’s status is also up in the air after he walked away from the team after being demoted.
Another intriguing landing spot would be the Detroit Lions at 18 — NFL media analyst Daniel Jeremiah’s mock draft 2.0 has Richardson going to the Motor City. This would make sense for a team with a solid quarterback in Jared Goff, allowing Richardson to game.
In one CBS mock draft, Richardson is projected to go first overall to the Colts, with the Bears trading out of that slot.
But depending on how he performs in the combine, Feb. 28-March 6, a lack of consensus around Richardson could intensify even further.