After selection at No. 4 in 2023 NFL Draft, Anthony Richardson says 'the journey starts now'

Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson didn’t have to wait long to hear his name called in the 2023 NFL Draft, with the Indianapolis Colts selecting him with the No. 4 overall pick in the draft.

The Gators gunslinger was one of the more polarizing prospects in the draft, in part because of his relative lack of experience.

He started just one year at Florida.

“The journey starts now,” Richardson told ESPN’s Suzy Kolber after being selected. “I finally got picked up by a team, I know where I’m going. Shoutout to coach for embracing me, but we’ve got to work and it just all hit me at once.”

With the No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, Indianapolis will certainly be hoping Richardson can contribute sooner than later.

But there will be a good deal of work that has to happen for that to come about.

Richardson completed just 53.8% of his passes in his lone season as the starter at Florida, where the team went 6-6 under his leadership. Richardson finished with 2,549 yards passing and 17 touchdowns against nine interceptions.

His running ability, though, is a significant asset. Richardson ran for 654 yards and nine touchdowns last year at Florida.

That rushing ability was put into measurables for NFL teams at the NFL Combine, well ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft.

Richardson managed to set records for a quarterback in the vertical jump and the broad jump, then turned in a blazing 40-yard dash time for a quarterback checking in at 6 foot 4, 244 pounds.

The Florida quarterback was mostly in thank you mode on Thursday night after hearing his name called so early in the 2023 NFL Draft.

“First I want to thank God. He’s the one that helped me get to this spot right here,” Richardson said. “My uncle, he introduced the game to me. I just felt like I had to get the tattoo to thank him for the legacy. I appreciate him and I want to thank God and my family.”

Anthony Richardson was a highly sought-after prospect out of high school, though he was a bit of a late bloomer as a quarterback.

He ranked as a four-star prospect and the No. 190 overall prospect in the 2020 recruiting class, according to the On3 Industry Rankings. Richardson checked in as the No. 14 quarterback in the class and the No. 29 overall player in the state of Florida, hailing from Gainesville (Fla.) Eastside.