Mel Kiper, Todd McShay explains why Anthony Richardson is not immediately ready to play in NFL

Just over a month away from the 2023 NFL Draft and the most highly debated player continues to be Florida‘s Anthony Richardson. While everyone agrees the talent is there, figuring out whether or not Richardson can develop into a star quarterback is hard to know. One moment, he looks like Superman. The next, you don’t know if he will play a down in the league.

ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. seems to think the former, projecting Richardson to be the third quarterback off the board in his latest mock draft. If the Utah tape was all Kiper had at his disposal, Richardson would have been at the top of the mock. Shaky performances from the rest of the season showed why the Florida product needs time.

“You got to find the right spot,” Kiper said. “You got to look for a team that can allow him time to develop… Anthony Richardson needs time… This is a kid, who against Utah, first game of the year, I thought he would be the No. 1 pick overall. But he couldn’t maintain a level of consistency after that Utah game. That’s why his stock dropped just a bit.”

Utah was an incredible 17-24 performance with 168 yards through the air. Add in 106 yards and three touchdowns on the ground and Richardson was flying. However, the overall season produced a 53.8 completion percentage and seven total games with an interception.

The simple throws are where Richardson needs improvement, according to Kiper. “Layups” as he described them, will have to get up to an NFL standard before stepping onto the field as a starter.

“He’s got to work on being a bit more accurate. He’s missed too many layups right now, got the Howitzer. Will be one of the top two, three running quarterbacks immediately when he becomes a start but you can’t miss the layups he does to be successful in the NFL.”

Todd McShay says fit matters most for Anthony Richardson

Todd McShay gave his take on Richardson, saying who selects the quarterback will determine how his career pans out. Referencing Brian Daboll and Andy Reid as quarterback developers in the league (Josh Allen/Daniel Jones and Patrick Mahomes), McShay knows not everyone is up for the task.

“There’s only so many Brian Dabolls and Any Reids in the NFL,” McShay said. “This is going to come back to where he winds up, situation he’s in, the patience the team has with him, and the level of talent from the coaching staff to get his mechanics worked out.”

McShay did admit the potential Richardson possesses is “enticing” despite being a “roller coaster” on tape. The mental evaluation seems to be a positive one, helping out Richardson as to where he will be drafted.

“This comes down to potential vs. preparedness,” McShay said. “He’s not prepared to play in the NFL right now from a mental standpoint. And it’s not because he’s not smart, because he is. Talked to every coach there, he picks things up in a flash. He’s only started 13 games. The potential though, is so enticing… His tape is a roller coaster. You love the highs but the lows are really tough to take.”