NFL personnel go back and forth on Anthony Richardson: 'Probably the hardest eval'

As the 2023 NFL Draft creeps closer and closer, the reports from anonymous NFL personnel are flowing. And few prospects have as mixed reviews as Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson, who is widely viewed as a first-round prospect.

NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero spoke to several NFL executives and scouts to get their thoughts on this year’s quarterback draft class.

Richardson provided a lot for them to chew on.

“It’s probably the hardest eval I’ve ever done, because 13 f—— [starts] and six wins, and (he) looks like a f—— pass rusher, runs 4.4 and he has some instinctive s— on tape,” an AFC executive told Pelissero. “Accuracy can be up and down. Decision-making can be up and down. But he’s got plays where he avoids pressure, steps up, makes a nice throw — just instinctive plays.”

Anthony Richardson’s numbers certainly don’t stack up all that favorably to some of the other projected first-round quarterbacks.

He finished his lone season as the starter at Florida going 176-of-327 passing (53.8%) for 2,549 yards, with 17 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He also added 654 yards and nine touchdowns rushing.

The accuracy will be a major concern for NFL scouts, as Richardson sometimes just missed open targets. That was a concern one coach pointed out to Pelissero.

“Man, is he a talented guy. He’s a playmaker. But he’s not accurate,” an AFC coordinator said. “You’ll watch him and you’ll see some stuff from him that you’re like, Wow, how could you make that throw? It was on point. And then he’s set up, got a good base, ready to deliver it and you’re like, Where the hell did you fire that thing? You’ve just got to know what you’re getting. But you’re getting an extremely talented dude with a f—— ham cannon, and man, is he an athlete. He’s tough. He’s everything you’re looking for.”

Anthony Richardson set NFL Combine records, shattering the marks in the vertical jump and the broad jump for a quarterback.

He also ran a blazing fast 40-yard dash time for his size.

All of that has Richardson as a likely first-round NFL Draft pick next week. He’s one of 17 players invited to the NFL Draft green room, for players to take part at the physical location of this year’s selections.

Despite all the diverse opinions, one coordinator thinks the back-and-forth over Anthony Richardson is a touch overdone.

“None of the questions about Richardson are going to get answered (before the draft), because he’s played such few games. But he’s about as cool of a prospect as you could evaluate in terms of the potential and the upside,” an NFC coordinator said. “Outside of just the physical testing stuff, just his play on the field. The fact that he gets through reads and he gets to checkdowns and he has a pretty good understanding when you talk to him about defenses — he’s got a good foundation. He’s just got such a lesser number of total reps at the whole thing, and then obviously the accuracy stuff. Can he keep building on that or is that what he is? The situation he gets put in will be so imperative for his development.”