Daniel Jeremiah reveals where NFL teams rank Anthony Richardson amongst 2023 quarterbacks
One of the most intriguing quarterback prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft is Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson. He has all of the raw talent in the world but struggled with his consistency in college. So, where does he fit in with the other top prospects, like Bryce Young, CJ Stroud, and Will Levis?
During an NFL Network media conference, NFL Draft expert Daniel Jeremiah tried to rank Richardson among his peers.
“Well, I guess I can answer it this way: He is not going to be there when it’s all said and done when the Lions pick with their second pick, so it’s not going to be a problem,” Jeremiah explained why he had Richardson going to Detroit.
“And making calls just around the league, the best way to do the quarterback conversation is talk to the teams that don’t need one, and then you’ll get kind of an accurate feel just how they evaluate him and what they think. Anthony Richardson is the second quarterback for several teams that I talked to.”
This is because of one key factor that comes into play when teams look at Anthony Richardson, his production doesn’t match his skill set. Because of this, he is a lot of team’s second choice at quarterback.
“We can look at the numbers. It doesn’t look great on paper. You look at the accuracy and this, that, and the other; and he has elite, elite arm strength. He is a rare athlete. You don’t see quarterbacks running away from LSU with 80-yard touchdown runs. Like, he has big-time, big-time ceiling, big-time ability. You know, you can find the games,” Jeremiah said.
“If you want to fall in love with Anthony Richardson, you pop on Utah and you think he is the first pick in the draft. Even Missouri he made some big-time plays in that game. I know it’s a little bit of a roller coaster. I know he hasn’t played a ton, but teams are starting to look at some of these quarterbacks as lottery tickets, and this one has the biggest pay-out. That’s why I think you’re going to see Richardson go pretty high.”
The reason Daniel Jeremiah thinks Anthony Richardson makes sense for Detroit is simple. He offers upside that Jared Goff could never, but having Goff gives you time to develop him.
“The reason I had him there with the Lions is I think sometimes when you have those two picks, I almost don’t want to say it’s a luxury because you’re trying to get good players, but when you look at the landscape of the NFL right now and you look at the high, high-end quarterback play, you know, this gives you an opportunity to take a shot on one of those guys who could be that. He is not at that level right now, but ceiling-wise with him and Jared Goff, his ceiling is immensely higher. Jared is a solid steady player right now. He is playing winning football, but I think there is a ceiling on him. With Anthony Richardson, you don’t have a ceiling. That’s why I think you’ll see him go, but I don’t think — in making just calls over the last couple of days, I don’t even think he will get there.”
Mel Kiper on Anthony Richardson
Ahead of the NFL Combine, Mel Kiper gave his thoughts on Anthony Richardson’s NFL Draft stock.
“There are (many questions). And one year as a starter, Greenie. I mean, 13 starts, there are a lot of guys who would say… ‘No, you cannot take a quarterback in the first round, or that high in the first round, with limited experience at the collegiate level. The talent is off the charts. Whether he becomes a starter or not, he’ll be one of the top-three running quarterbacks in the NFL. He’s got the howitzer, he’s got the rocket arm,” Kiper said.
“But accuracy, seeing the field are things he needs to work on. Another year at Florida would have benefited him. But hey, if you’re going to be a top-10 pick, develop in the NFL, okay. So for Anthony Richardson, I’ve said boom or bust. The old cliche is what? Make your draft or break your heart — that’s Anthony Richardson.”