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Mel Kiper addresses the NFL Draft stock of Anthony Richardson ahead of Combine

Alex Weberby: Alex Weber02/28/23Alexhweber
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(Gilbert/Getty Images)

With the NFL Draft Combine taking place this week, focus in the football world has shifted to this year’s class of future pros. More specifically, most conversations surround the year’s crop of quarterbacks, which are a fairly divisive bunch among scouts and analysts. Of course, there’s Bryce Young and CJ Stroud — high profile recruits and extraordinary talents that took snaps for two of the best teams in football. On the other hand, there’s Will Levis and Anthony Richardson, cannon-armed and physically imposing, but didn’t shine on great teams like the other two, thus sparking an array of arguments.

On Tuesday morning, ESPN’s resident draft guru, Mel Kiper Jr., shared why he thinks Anthony Richardson is the perfect boom-or-boost type of prospect. Here was his response on SportsCenter when asked by Mike Greenberg what’s to love and hate about Richardson’s gam:

“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.”

All the physical tools are there. But for Richardson, it’s putting the ball in right place that could make or break his career.

“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.”

Richardson’s stock has only risen in recent weeks, to the point that he’s now in the mix to go in the top five or 10 picks like the other three. Going to be a heck of a debate over who should or will go in which order come springtime. Coaches will pull their hair out, scouts won’t sleep for months, analysts like Kiper will scream on TV until they’re blue in the face. Great fun ahead as folks try to official decide who will boom and who will bust among these first-round quarterbacks.