What they're saying about Anthony Richardson

The Indianapolis Colts went all in on Anthony Richardson, taking the Florida Gators quarterback with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft on Thursday. It was one of the night’s biggest attention-getters because Richardson has been arguably this draft class’s most heavily scrutinized player.

Here’s a sample of what people in the media said about his selection:

-“The cautious Colts just did the boldest thing ever and drafted Florida QB Anthony Richardson. Let us rejoice. … Florida’s Anthony Richardson is raw, sure. But he’s the most perfect lump of QB clay the NFL has ever seen.” — Gregg Doyel, Indianapolis Star

-“Make no mistake about it though, this has the potential to be a grand slam selection by the Colts—if it all clicks for Richardson on the field. We’re talking Top 5 quarterback in the NFL, future league MVP. While the floor may be low, the Colts bet on his high-end traits and his character and work ethic in the hopes he’ll eventually put it all together, even though initial patience will be required through early growing pains passing. There’s certainly worse hills to die on than the most athletic quarterback in NFL history.” — Luke Schultheis, Stampede Blue

Richardson’s upside has the attention of many

-“His passing skills are raw and he certainly carries risk, but has enormous upside in the NFL, with many evaluators comparing him to Cam Newton. The Colts have Gardner Minshew on the roster, but after cycling through five different starting quarterbacks in the last five seasons, they now hope Richardson can be the starter for the next decade in Indianapolis.” — Jeremy Layton, NY Post

–“The Indianapolis Colts officially have their new franchise quarterback in Anthony Richardson. Richardson, 20, is a promising young player that brings sky high potential to the Colts’ offense but the biggest win for the team comes in what he brings to Shane Steichen’s scheme. In Richardson, Steichen gets his young, explosive version of Jalen Hurts in Indianapolis. Richardson obviously has a ways to go to be the level of passer that Hurts is, but Steichen has his elite mold to work with over the next handful of years.” — Zach Hicks, SI

-“Richardson proved to be one of the more polarizing prospects during the pre-draft process as evaluators wrestled with how to balance his physical tools and potential with his collegiate performance. At 6-4 and 244 pounds, he ran a blazing 4.43-second 40-yard dash at the NFL scouting, the fourth-best time of any passer since 2003. He also set combine records with for a quarterback with his 40 ½-inch vertical leap and 10-9 broad jump.

Many people pointed out Richardson’s highs and lows at Florida

At Florida, he showed a knack for generating highlight-reel plays, whether ripping off long runs or attacking teams downfield with a dazzling deep ball. But Richardson’s experience was a point of concern in recent months, with his 13 career starts tying him with Mitchell Trubisky for the fewest of any first-round quarterback since 2000. His lone year as a starter also was uneven, and his 54.7% career completion rate is be the lowest of any first-round passer since Jake Locker in 2011.” — Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz, USA TODAY

-“The Colts are finally swinging for the fences. Frustrated by four long seasons spent treading water after Andrew Luck’s shocking retirement, four seasons marked by the franchise’s reluctance to go all in at the game’s most important position, Indianapolis general manager Chris Ballard finally drew the hand that convinced him to push in all his chips. Ballard’s big bet is Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson, taken with the No. 4 pick in the draft, after a flurry of moves by an AFC South rival in front of them. The first pick came as no surprise to anyone.” — Joel A. Erickson, Indianapolis Star

-“Shane Steichen working with Anthony Richardson could be real fun. #Colts swing for the fences on this one.” — Mike Garafolo, NFL Network

-“The Indianapolis Colts either made the best decision of this draft — or the worst. That’s the way it was bound to feel when Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson went off the board during the 2023 NFL Draft. The Colts picked him at No. 4 overall. They’ve taken the biggest risk of the draft. But from my perspective, it was also the best risk of the draft. There is no draft prospect with a greater boom-or-bust projection. There is no draft prospect like him.” — Henry McKenna, Fox Sports