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Former NFL QB Trent Dilfer: Anthony Richardson’s inexperience should concern NFL teams

On3 imageby:Keith Niebuhr•04/25/23•

On3Keith

Anthony Richardson, Florida Gators quarterback
Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson throws a football at the NFL Combine on March 4, 2023. (Stacy Revere / Getty Images)

Trent Dilfer is a fan of Florida QB and 2023 NFL Draft prospect Anthony Richardson — but he also has some concerns. And it has to do with college snaps.

In an article with Chris Vannini of The Athletic, Dilfer and Vannini take a deep dive into Richardson and other QBs.

“The No. 1 indicator of draft status is snaps played in college football,” Dilfer told The Athletic. “When I did the draft, that’s the thing I’d always say on Day 2 after (fellow analyst Jon) Gruden. It ain’t how many starts he had in high school, what college or conference he’s at. It’s not the TV ratings. It’s how many snaps he played at a high level in college football.”

Dilfer, of course, played quarterback in the NFL and won a Super Bowl. Then, he coached high school QBs with the Elite 11. He’s also worked as a draft expert for ESPN. Today, he’s head coach at UAB.

In Dilfer’s opinion Richardson and Kentucky QB Will Levis are “high-ceiling, low-floor guys.”

“There’s massive risk in both of them,” he told The Athetlic.

Per Vannini, “The Athletic examined the college careers of every first-round quarterback over the last 15 years. Richardson’s 13 career college starts are tied with Mitch Trubisky (the No. 2 pick in 2017) for the fewest in that span. (Bryce Young had 27; CJ Stroud and Levis had 25.) Since the 2008 draft, seven quarterbacks have been drafted in the first round with fewer than 20 collegiate starts. That technically includes Ryan Tannehill, who started as a wide receiver at Texas A&M before switching to quarterback.”

Dilfer pointed out the plusses and minuses with Richardson

Back when Richardson was in high school, he competed at the Elite 11 QB competition that Dilfer helped run and coach. So Dilfer has followed him closely — and pointed out many positives.

“He’s wired very similar to Jalen (Hurts),” Dilfer told The Athletic. “He’s very mature; he’s a pro; he’s selfless; e’s not a prima donna; he does the right things. But you’re going to have to build a specific system around him early. … His lack of experience, I’m forcing my coaching staff to completely rethink at least his first few years of development and what we have to do to help him be successful.”

You can read the complete article HERE.

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