Anthony Richardson weighs in on Florida quarterback competition between Graham Mertz, Jack Miller

For the first time, Anthony Richardson returned to The Swamp as a former Gator. He was in attendance for Florida’s Orange and Blue spring game Thursday night, giving him a front-row seat to the quarterbacks competing to be his successor.

Wisconsin transfer Graham Mertz and Richardson’s former backup Jack Miller are both vying to be the starter in the second year under Billy Napier. Mertz is gearing up for his first season in Gainesville after starting out at Wisconsin, and Miller arrived last year from Ohio State.

That means Richardson knows Miller better, but he still respects them both and is watching the competition closely.

“I love Jack,” Richardson told ESPN’s Pete Thamel. “I was in the room with him last year. He’s a dawg, he’s going to work. And Graham, I just recently met him a couple months ago. He’s a dawg, as well. Just watching those two guys compete and just play ball and be QBs, I got love from them. I’m just ready to see who’s going to be the starter.”

Anthony Richardson on being back at The Swamp: ‘It feels different’

Of course, seeing Richardson back in town as a former player is a bit different. Last year around this time, he was putting on a show at the spring game when he threw for 207 yards and two touchdowns. Now, he’s getting ready to hear his name called in the 2023 NFL Draft as a projected top pick.

But still, the 20-year-old Richardson acknowledged the unique feeling of the first time back at Florida as a former player.

“It feels different,” Richardson said. “I’m used to being here and being on the field participating. It makes me feel a little old, even though I’m still a young guy. Coming back and watching my guys perform, it’s definitely a blessing.”

Last year, Richardson threw for 2,549 yards and 17 touchdowns while also rushing for 654 yards and nine touchdowns to cement himself as a dual-threat. He’s seen as one of the more intriguing draft prospects on the board, and ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. recently projected him to go No. 3 overall to the Tennessee Titans in a mock trade with the Arizona Cardinals in his latest mock draft.

Richardson raised plenty of eyebrows at the NFL scouting combine last month. He ran a 4.43 official time in the 40-yard dash and set new records in both the broad jump and the vertical jump. In two weeks, he’ll be in Kansas City hoping to hear his name called early in the draft, which is set for April 27-29.