is going to be fascinating to watch moving forward.
I'd be terrified of drafting him, but man his upside is so vast according to these NFL coaches Bruce Feldman talked with.
QB coach 3 said Richardson is still very raw, but he would definitely roll the dice on him. “Teams have proven that you can do it with a (talented) guy that is ‘not ready.’ They do the Jalen Hurts model. Look at what happened in Philly. They tried to do it the normal way and they were like 2-5. Then they said, ‘OK, this isn’t working.’ We’re gonna get fired so let’s do the Oklahoma offense — and then they started winning.
“Anthony has shown so much raw ability, and the Florida offense is fairly complicated. When you involve that many shifts and motions, you still have to operate it. There’s some full-field progression reads. He’s reading three-level floods. It wasn’t just read the corner here or not every single play was an RPO or they cut the field in half. He clearly wants to be a passer. It’s just that he happens to run a 4.43 too. He is just so unique as an athlete. Josh Allen went to Wyoming and was playing against not good competition. If Josh Allen was QB-ing for Florida with that surrounding cast, how bad would his film have looked? And he had some bad film at Wyoming.”
“I don’t want to make an excuse for the guy, but look at what they had all around Anthony. They really only had a first-round guard, a Day 3 wideout and a freshman running back who might be pretty good. That is it. Cam carrying a nothing Auburn team to the national title, that is beyond impressive. Cam also didn’t play anybody like today’s Georgia team.”
QB coach 1 “loves” Richardson but cautions, “If you’re taking him, you can’t play offense the way a lot of teams are playing offense in this league. You’ve gotta play to him. He is a freak. Play to his strengths. Don’t put him under center. Let him develop into that.”
QB coach 1 is also really intrigued by Richardson’s potential, particularly as a passer. “This guy really throws it. When you look at him mechanically, he’s pretty good. He can throw with balance. He’s got base. He’s not real long. I love this guy. The film verifies some of that. I went and watched the FSU game, what was he 39 percent (33 percent) in that one. But you watch that film. Yes, there are some things you don’t like, but not one receiver made one play on any ball thrown. He threw a post on the money. Guy can’t make the play. He throws a 9-ball on the money. Guy can’t make the play. I know what the numbers say, but the numbers don’t always tell the truth.”
QB coach 2 said Richardson’s arm is on par with the strongest arms in the NFL, Mahomes and Allen. “I would pay to watch those three guys throw every day. Pat’s mechanics are all over the place, but he’s just a baller. Josh has gotten better mechanically every year. Anthony has the most natural and most consistent whip I’ve seen. And he’s 20. He hasn’t even turned 21 yet. I don’t see how this guy can’t do it.”
I'd be terrified of drafting him, but man his upside is so vast according to these NFL coaches Bruce Feldman talked with.
Which QB has the highest ceiling?
Coaches say it’s Florida’s Anthony Richardson. QB coach 3 said he has Richardson as his No. 1 guy, “which is not like me,” adding, “Who has been more physically gifted than him? Andrew Luck? Richardson has a more gifted arm and is much faster. Cam (Newton) is taller, but Anthony is much faster and with a more dynamic arm. Josh (Allen) is bigger, but their arms are similar, and Josh is not even close to as fast.”QB coach 3 said Richardson is still very raw, but he would definitely roll the dice on him. “Teams have proven that you can do it with a (talented) guy that is ‘not ready.’ They do the Jalen Hurts model. Look at what happened in Philly. They tried to do it the normal way and they were like 2-5. Then they said, ‘OK, this isn’t working.’ We’re gonna get fired so let’s do the Oklahoma offense — and then they started winning.
“Anthony has shown so much raw ability, and the Florida offense is fairly complicated. When you involve that many shifts and motions, you still have to operate it. There’s some full-field progression reads. He’s reading three-level floods. It wasn’t just read the corner here or not every single play was an RPO or they cut the field in half. He clearly wants to be a passer. It’s just that he happens to run a 4.43 too. He is just so unique as an athlete. Josh Allen went to Wyoming and was playing against not good competition. If Josh Allen was QB-ing for Florida with that surrounding cast, how bad would his film have looked? And he had some bad film at Wyoming.”
“I don’t want to make an excuse for the guy, but look at what they had all around Anthony. They really only had a first-round guard, a Day 3 wideout and a freshman running back who might be pretty good. That is it. Cam carrying a nothing Auburn team to the national title, that is beyond impressive. Cam also didn’t play anybody like today’s Georgia team.”
QB coach 1 “loves” Richardson but cautions, “If you’re taking him, you can’t play offense the way a lot of teams are playing offense in this league. You’ve gotta play to him. He is a freak. Play to his strengths. Don’t put him under center. Let him develop into that.”
QB coach 1 is also really intrigued by Richardson’s potential, particularly as a passer. “This guy really throws it. When you look at him mechanically, he’s pretty good. He can throw with balance. He’s got base. He’s not real long. I love this guy. The film verifies some of that. I went and watched the FSU game, what was he 39 percent (33 percent) in that one. But you watch that film. Yes, there are some things you don’t like, but not one receiver made one play on any ball thrown. He threw a post on the money. Guy can’t make the play. He throws a 9-ball on the money. Guy can’t make the play. I know what the numbers say, but the numbers don’t always tell the truth.”
QB coach 2 said Richardson’s arm is on par with the strongest arms in the NFL, Mahomes and Allen. “I would pay to watch those three guys throw every day. Pat’s mechanics are all over the place, but he’s just a baller. Josh has gotten better mechanically every year. Anthony has the most natural and most consistent whip I’ve seen. And he’s 20. He hasn’t even turned 21 yet. I don’t see how this guy can’t do it.”
