Florida Gators Football

Holding the No. 7 pick in the upcoming NFL draft, the Las Vegas Raiders are in position to address any number of their many needs, including quarterback.

Despite signing veteran signal-caller Jimmy Garoppolo at the beginning of free agency, the Raiders may opt for one of the quarterbacks in this year's draft class. The organization has been most closely connected to former Florida starter Anthony Richardson.

Las Vegas hosted Richardson for a visit on Friday, which went very well for both parties, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler's on SportsCenter on Saturday.

As well as the visit went, the Raiders still have a lot of need at premium positions such as cornerback, edge-rusher and offensive tackle and aren't solely focused on getting a quarterback, according to Fowler.

"So, the Raiders looking hard at all the quarterbacks, but they have a lot of needs as I was told, so they're not going to stretch the issue too much and just sell out for a quarterback just yet," Fowler said. "We'll see, it'd have to be the right opportunity."

Richardson's draft stock has surged over the past few weeks, especially after his incredible performances at the NFL combine and his pro day at Florida.

In B/R NFL Scouting Department's most recent mock draft, Richardson was projected to be taken by the Indianapolis Colts with the No. 4 overall pick. So, the Raiders will have plenty of competition if they want him.

In his only full season as a starter with the Gators last year, Richardson threw for 2,549 yards with 17 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He also rushed for 654 yards and nine more scores

At least one coach was impressed with Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson's pro day ahead of the 2023 NFL draft.

"Seeing Richardson was cool, man," the coach said, per Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated. "Everything is so effortless down the field. The interesting thing with him is there are questions on overall accuracy, but all the throws down the field were really impressive and accurate. The intermediate stuff, the 15-, 20-yard throws, are so, so easy for him and accurate for a bigger, muscled-up athlete in those ranges."

Breer noted the coach appreciated that Richardson's throws came with his hands off the laces as a sign of his strength and control.

"Development-wise, underneath, he needs to get a little better command of that," the coach said. "Accuracy on the running back throws, that stuff, that's where he's gotta get better. But his physical skill set, it's impressive. He can roll left, roll right, and flick the ball so far, without exerting himself at all, staying nice and compact, it's impressive."

Richardson remains one of the most polarizing prospects in a draft that could see four quarterbacks taken early with Ohio State's C.J. Stroud, Alabama's Bryce Young, Kentucky's Will Levis and the Gators' signal-caller.

B/R's NFL Scouting Department projected Richardson to go No. 4 overall to the Indianapolis Colts in its most recent mock draft, which would give the AFC South team a potential franchise quarterback to build around after going with short-term stopgaps in Matt Ryan, Carson Wentz and Philip Rivers of late.

The coach's comments on the prospect underscore the ceiling he brings as someone who can make plays with his legs and hit on throws downfield.

Yet Richardson also completed just 53.8 percent of his throws last season and had more games with fewer than 200 passing yards (seven) than not (five).

He is the type of player who could be No. 1 on the draft board for some teams and not even seen as a first-rounder for others. Perhaps that leads to trades on draft day with teams that aren't fans of his moving down and those that are seeing an opportunity to address the quarterback position even after Stroud and Young are presumably taken.

Richardson can take solace knowing at least this coach is a big fan of his game.

Former University of Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson put on another show Thursday during his pro day in Gainesville, Florida.

While he didn't participate in any of the measurable drills—having done so to great success at the NFL Combine earlier in the month—Richardson once again showed off his cannon of an arm to the NFL scouts, coaches and executives in attendance.

Among the highlights from the afternoon was when he overthrew a receiver that was 70 yards away and hit the ceiling of the indoor practice facility on one of his deep balls, reminding everyone of his incredible arm strenghth.

"I feel like I delivered the ball pretty well today," Richardson said. "Some of them weren't as great as I wanted to be, but I feel like I threw the ball pretty well today."

Richardson, 20, is projected to be one of the first quarterbacks taken in the upcoming NFL draft and had several reps from the teams at the top of the draft order at his pro day, including Panthers coach Frank Reich and Seahawks coach Pete Carroll, who hold the first and fifth pick, respectively.

One of the biggest questions regarding Richardson is his accuracy as he completed just 54.7 percent of his passes during his collegiate career. It's the lowest mark out of the top four quarterback prospects in the draft.

Richardson tried his best to put teams at ease however, citing his work ethic and ability to improve as some of his biggest strengths.

"I'm a workhorse," Richardson said. "I'm going to work to be the greatest. I'm going to continue to work. A lot of people would say I have a lot of things to clean up, so I'm definitely going to try to clean those things up."

He has been impressing teams throughout the pre-draft process, especially at the combine where he set quarterback records for the broad jump (10 feet, 9 inches) and the vertical jump (40½ inches).

Richardson completed 53.8% of his passes for 2,549 yards, with 17 touchdowns and nine interceptions in his lone season as a starter in 2022. He met with the Las Vegas Raiders and Panthers on Wednesday and is set to meet with several other teams in the coming days, according to an Associated Press report.

Anthony Richardson was the last of the top four quarterbacks in the 2023 NFL draft class to have his pro day in front of scouts, but his performance may have been the most anticipated of anyone in this group.

The Florida quarterback already dazzled scouts and analysts at the Scouting Combine by going through all of the drills. He set new combine records at the position in the vertical jump (40.5 inches) and broad jump (10'9").

Thursday's throwing session saw Richardson showcase his arm talent, with USA Today's Doug Farrar noting he should "scare the crap out of any defense" because of how the ball comes out of his hand.

There was a lot of praise for Richardson's accuracy on the throws he made:

There was an amusing moment when Richardson got so much height on a pass that the ball hit the roof of Florida's indoor practice facility.

In an unofficial count from Matt Baker of the Tampa Bay Times, Richardson finished 55-of-62 with three drops or near-drops.

As was expected, several prominent members of the coaching staff and front office for teams picking early in the draft were in attendance and around Richardson throughout the throwing session.

Per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, Richardson met with the Carolina Panthers and had dinner with the Las Vegas Raiders on Wednesday.

Richardson might be the most tantalizing prospect in the 2023 class. He will likely have a steeper learning curve than C.J. Stroud and Bryce Young, especially given his lack of college experience.

Last season was Richardson's only one as a full-time starter at Florida. He had 393 pass attempts in three years with the Gators, and his 53.8 completion percentage in 2022 ranked 105th out of 113 qualified FBS quarterbacks.

The athletic traits Richardson possesses are arguably the best of any quarterback that has come out of college in decades. It doesn't guarantee he will turn into a star in the NFL, but there's an MVP-caliber ceiling to build around if he goes to the right coaching staff and system.

Anthony Richardson likes to think his skill set is a combination of Cam Newton and Lamar Jackson, so he will undoubtedly approve of what one NFL scout thinks of his potential.

Speaking to The Athletic's Zak Keefer, an anonymous scout said the Florida quarterback "has tools to make an impact like Lamar, because he's such a special athlete."

While talking to reporters at the NFL Scouting Combine, Richardson said he has been calling himself "Cam Jackson" since high school, because he's "trying to make big plays, just like Cam Newton and Lamar Jackson."

For most players, comparing your talents to two former NFL MVPs would be a recipe for disaster. Richardson's athletic traits at least suggest it's not unfair to think he could reach that level.

There's still a lot of development ahead for Richardson as he prepares to enter the NFL. The 21-year-old made 13 starts and attempted 393 passes in three seasons at Florida. He completed 53.8 percent of his attempts in 12 games last season.

B/R's Derrik Klassen called Richardson "a home-run swing on elite tools and fearless pocket management" in his scouting report.

After the Carolina Panthers agreed to a trade to acquire the No. 1 overall pick from the Chicago Bears, NBC Sports' Peter King noted head coach Frank Reich "loves" Richardson.

If you're going to have the top pick in the draft, taking a home-run swing on a quarterback with rare tools isn't a bad way to operate.

Whichever team ends up selecting Richardson could end up with the best player in the draft. At the very least, his ability as a runner gives him a high floor that the right coaching staff can take advantage of as he works on developing as a passer.

Fewer players at the NFL Scouting Combine made an impression like Anthony Richardson.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler called the hype around the prospect "relentless" after the 6'4", 244-pound Florida quarterback registered 4.43 seconds in the 40-yard dash and 40.5 inches in the vertical jump.

A league executive called Richardson "a blend of Cam Newton, Josh Allen and Justin Fields," while other speculation had the quarterback eventually going in the top 12 of the upcoming draft.

Those are quite the comparisons, and they may be setting Richardson up with unrealistic expectations.

Newton was the NFL MVP and led the Carolina Panthers to the Super Bowl, Allen is one of the best quarterbacks in the league and has the Buffalo Bills positioned to be championship contenders for years to come, and Fields made a massive leap from his first to second season and finished second in NFL history for rushing yards by a quarterback in a year with 1,143.

Richardson has the measurables and athleticism to make plays with his legs just like Newton, Allen and Fields, and his size figures to make him less of an injury risk like that trio as well.

Still, it is fair to wonder about his accuracy as a passer.

He completed just 53.8 percent of his passes in his final season with the Gators, and the sophomore went 9-of-27 in a loss to archrival Florida State and threw a critical pick-six in the second half of a loss to Kentucky.

Yet it seems like NFL teams are going to look past those concerns given the potential he brings with his running ability. Drafting him high could be a gamble that will pay off if he is even close to the player Newton was in his prime or Allen is in today's game, but he still represents very much a gamble.

Richardson's performance at the combine means he is another potential top-10 pick in a quarterback class that also includes Alabama's Bryce Young, Ohio State's C.J. Stroud and Kentucky's Will Levis as highly regarded prospects.

If Anthony Richardson is trying to sell himself to teams during the NFL Scouting Combine, saying his game is a combination of two recent MVP winners is a good start.

Speaking to reporters in Indianapolis on Friday, the Florida quarterback said he's been calling himself "Cam Jackson" since 11th grade.

"Just trying to make big plays, just like Cam Newton and Lamar Jackson," he explained.

There certainly seem to be elements of Richardson's game that line up with what Newton and Jackson have done in the NFL.

B/R's Derrik Klassen wrote in his scouting report that Richardson is "a home-run swing on elite tools and fearless pocket management" with "top-five speed, explosiveness, and contact balance for the position."

The biggest concerns for Richardson revolve around his ability as a passer. He completed 53.8 percent of his passes for the Gators in 2022, his only season as their starting quarterback.

"Richardson's best throws are mesmerizing, but there are too many random misfires littered in between. Richardson is prone to three or so terrible misfires per game, often in the 1-10 yard area--throws that are supposed to keep the offense on schedule. He also struggles a bit more with moving targets than he does stationary ones, too often limiting YAC," Klassen wrote.

Both Newton and Jackson faced scrutiny leading up to the draft about their ability to throw the football.

NFL.com noted prior to the 2011 draft that Newton had "sloppy" footwork, "inconsistent" accuracy and didn't have to go through progressions in college at Auburn.

ESPN.com called Jackson a "very difficult evaluation" because he was so explosive with the ball in his hands at Louisville, but "he needs a lot of refinement as a passer—specifically when it comes to his inconsistencies with progression reads, anticipation and ball placement."

Newton and Jackson have never been the most accurate passers. Newton only completed more than 60 percent of his attempts three times in 11 seasons. Jackson has a 63.7 career completion percentage in five seasons with the Baltimore Ravens.

They have been accurate enough and were more than capable of making big plays through the air to keep defenses honest. They rank in the top five in rushing yards by quarterbacks in NFL history.

If Richardson's NFL career ends up being anything like what Newton or Jackson have done, he will probably be the best player regardless of position in the 2023 draft.

Florida's Anthony Richardson was not lacking for interested teams at the NFL Scouting Combine.

Jordan Schultz of The Score reported Richardson met with the Indianapolis Colts, Carolina Panthers, Atlanta Falcons, Las Vegas Raiders, Baltimore Ravens, New Orleans Saints and New England Patriots while at the combine.

Aaron Wilson of Click2Houston.com reported Richardson has also met with the Houston Texans.

Richardson is one of the most polarizing players in the 2023 draft class, with teams understandably enamored with his physical skill set despite his underwhelming production at Florida. He threw for 2,549 yards and 17 touchdowns against nine interceptions while adding 654 yards and nine scores as a runner in 2022.

While those numbers are solid enough, they pale in comparison to those of Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud, who are expected to sit atop the quarterback class. Richardson and Kentucky's Will Levis are considered high-risk, high-reward signal-callers, guys who could easily develop into the next Josh Allen or flame out spectacularly.

Any team picking Richardson will likely go into the 2023 season with a veteran stopgap option in place. He consistently struggled against high-level SEC competition, and throwing him into the fire immediately as a rookie would be a recipe for failure.

Stroud, Richardson and Levis are set to throw at the NFL scouting combine this week, while Young opted out of the throwing portion. The Indianapolis showcase will be a major test for Richardson in showing off his physical prowess and perhaps having some teams forget about the moments where he looked completely out of his element as a decision-maker.

As the NFL Scouting Combine is set to begin this week, many are anticipating the opportunity to see former Florida Gators quarterback Anthony Richardson showcase his skills, as it is widely believed that he has a bright future.

One NFL executive for a team that "likely won't be drafting a quarterback this year" told Peter King of NBC Sports that Richardson has "clearly the best upside, but you're gonna have to be patient."

Richardson doesn't have as much experience as other signal-callers in this year's draft class, as he played in just 24 games with 13 starts in his three years at Florida, leading the team to a 6-7 record as the starter. Still, he impressed as a junior by throwing for 2,549 yards, 17 touchdowns and nine interceptions while adding 654 rushing yards and nine more scores.

Richardson's athleticism and dual-threat abilities make him an attractive player to draft, but he likely would be best served in a situation where he can sit behind a veteran to start his career. The youngster still has tools he needs to develop to be a successful NFL quarterback.

"If you're on an alien spaceship and you land and you only watch Richardson's Utah game, you think he's the best football player on the planet," Daniel Jeremiah told King, referring to Richardson's 17-of-24 performance with 106 yards on the ground and three rushing TDs in the upset of the Utes. "But the consistency is just not there. It's a roller-coaster ride that you go on. But there's a ton of talent in there."

With many quarterback-needy teams near the top of the draft, one of them might take the chance on Richardson in hopes that the risk pays off in the future.