Report: Anthony Richardson knocks NFL pre-draft cognitive test 'out of the park'

Already one of the most intriguing prospects in this year’s NFL Draft, Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson apparently turned more heads with a strong score on the NFL’s cognitive test.

According to KPRC out of Houston, citing sources, Richardson was “knocking it out of the park” with his score on the S2 cognitive test.

He’s one of a handful of quarterbacks who earned high marks on the increasingly popular test, with Alabama star Bryce Young nearly acing the cognitive test by scoring a 98 and Kentucky quarterback Will Levis also reportedly scoring very highly.

The cognitive test for Anthony Richardson is more excellent news for his draft prospects, as he had already turned plenty of heads with his athletic testing at the NFL Combine.

In fact, Richardson broke a handful of records for quarterbacks with his test results. He broke the position record for the broad jump with a 10-foot, 9-inch leap, then did it against in the vertical jump by getting 40.5 inches off the ground.

Then Richardson clocked a 4.43 in the 40-yard dash, all while listed at an impressive 6 foot 4, 244 pounds.

That’s the good news for Richardson.

The bad news is that he’s still a tough prospect to peg based on limited experience in college and sometimes inconsistent play on the field.

Richardson finished his first season as a starter for Florida going 176-of-327 passing for 2,549 yards, with 17 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He also added 654 yards and nine touchdowns rushing.

But the 53.8% completion percentage will need work at the next level.

Still, many NFL Draft analyst have Richardson pegged as a first-rounder, likely going in the top 10 picks based on his sheer measurables and potential to become a superstar.

Writes NFL Draft analyst Lance Zierlein in evaluating Richardson as an NFL Draft prospect:

“Dual-threat quarterback with an elite physical profile and a lot of work that needs to be done to reach a potentially high ceiling. Richardson’s frame, arm talent and mobility will demand respect as a potential first-round option. He has the ability to make plays on the move that very few of his NFL peers will be able to make.

“However, but his accuracy on short and simple throws left much to be desired due, in part, to shoddy footwork and inconsistent rhythm. The footwork issues can be corrected, but the challenge will be determining whether he can be at least a functionally accurate passer at the next level.

“Richardson’s potential to strike with the deep ball, attack the secondary from sideline to sideline and gash teams with his legs creates greater leeway in his projection as a developmental prospect. Ultimately, he will succeed or fail based on his ability to play with better post-snap recognition and deliver the football with consistency.”

Prior to dazzling at the NFL Combine and performing well on the NFL’s cognitive test, Anthony Richardson was formerly a four-star prospect and the No. 190 overall player in the nation in the 2020 recruiting class, according to the On3 Industry Rankings.