Anthony Richardson a top 10 pick in Mel Kiper's first mock draft

Untitled designby:Nick de la Torre•01/25/23•

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GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Mel Kiper doesn’t think Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson will wait long to hear his name on draft night. In his first mock draft, Kiper had Richardson going ninth overall to the Carolina Panthers.

Richardson spent just one year as the starting quarterback for the Gators. He started the season with an impressive game against Utah in which he ran for 106 yards and three scores. He also completed 70.8% (17-24) of his pass attempts for 168 yards. The rest of the season was a rollercoaster with turnovers and great plays but no consistency.

“This was a crazy ride and I think back to that Utah game,” Kiper said on the First Draft Podcast. “You saw some brilliance with him … He goes out there and single-handedly, he led the Gators through that upset over the Utes. I mean, he was incredible … So you think figure, I think he’s got a chance to be the number one pick overall. Heck with all his talk about the second round, maybe late first …

“Okay, he’s gonna build on that. He maybe won’t be as good but you’ll see him keep showing that kind of, I think it was at 40% (completion against Kentucky). The interception, he didn’t do anything with his legs. They were able to defend him, Kentucky was, and really frustrate him.” 

Richardson finished his college career with (22 games) with 3,105 yards, 24 touchdowns, 15 interceptions, a 54.7% completion percentage, 1,116 rushing yards, and 12 rushing touchdowns.

Richardson is a supremely gifted athlete. He’s going to shine at the NFL Combine and at his Pro Day. The question that NFL teams will have is whether can they get that to translate to production on the field more consistently.

Richardson was the only Gator that Kiper had in the first round of his draft. He did however mention O’Cyrus Torrence as a possible pick for the Buffalo Bills at No. 27.

What Kiper said about Richardson

This was Kiper’s write-up about the pick.

“Let’s get this out of the way now: I wouldn’t play Richardson in Year 1. He needs time to develop. He’s not an NFL-ready thrower. But he is an awesome talent, a raw quarterback in a 6-foot-4 frame who would be one of the league’s most electrifying runners as soon as he steps on the field. His size and physical tools cannot be taught, and NFL coaches will want to work with him and try to take him to the next level. Richardson completed just 53.8% of his passes in 2022 — he has a long ways to go with his mechanics. Again, though, he has a high ceiling if a coaching staff can help him get there.”

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