What to Make of Florida's Anthony Richardson Competing in NFL Combine

Analyzing Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson's decision to fully participate in the 2023 NFL Combine.

Photo: Anthony Richardson; Credit: Alex Shepherd 

Perhaps he sees an opportunity; perhaps he's seen his name skyrocketing in mock drafts. One way or another, Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson will fully participate in this week's NFL Combine in front of pro coaches and personnel in Indianapolis, Ind., Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reported on Monday.

"Florida's Anthony Richardson intends to throw and do everything else, all the drills and testing," Pelissero shared. "He is a rare athlete who wants to put that on display, potentially put up some big numbers here to help himself as we go through this pre-draft process."

It has become increasingly common to see quarterbacks — and/or prospects that are known to be gifted athletes — prevent the risk of injury or let the tape speak for itself and bypass working out at the Combine. Richardson qualifies as both, making his decision an interesting but sensible one. 

Richardson's polarizing lone season as Florida's starting quarterback in 2022 has been well-documented. He heads into the NFL Draft with a career completion percentage of 55% and a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 1.6-to-1, relatively underwhelming passing numbers compared to his fellow top quarterback prospects. 

For every "wow" play, there was a head-scratcher as well. But most of the "wow" plays were unforgettable, with his highlight tape being nationally relevant and growing in length since his emergence as a sophomore. 

Anthony Richardson's @GatorsFB highlights are electric ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/2eZ4zV598Y

— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) February 24, 2023

The Combine is designed for a prospect like Richardson to show off his rare abilities to NFL personnel, albeit largely without teammates and not in a natural game setting. And in such a competitive environment — fair or not — teams take notice of the prospects who compete and those who don't. 

Namely. Ohio State's C.J. Stroud and Kentucky's Will Levis plan to throw at the Combine although it is unclear if they will participate in other drills. Alabama's Bryce Young will wait until the Crimson Tide's pro day to throw to receivers he has built chemistry with, meaning he is unlikely to partake in other drills too. 

As things stand, these quarterbacks make up the projected first four to come off the board in the 2023 NFL Draft, although ask anyone for the order they'll fall in and you'll get a different answer from the last one every time. 

Young and Stroud have held their ranks as top passers in the class over the past couple of years, while Levis and Richardson are viewed as higher-ceiling prospects with something to prove in the draft process. Each quarterback possesses a uniquely intriguing skill set and physical profile, but like any prospect, none are considered perfect.

Richardson is choosing to fully compete in the NFL Combine because he has a chance to not only increase the annual salary of his rookie contract by millions of dollars, but also hear his name called first among the passers if he tests as well as he's expected to. CBS Sports projected Richardson to go No. 1 overall in a mock draft just last week.

Richardson was named to The Athletic's annual College Football "Freaks List" ahead of the 2022 season, an uncommon feat for quarterbacks according to author Bruce Feldman.

50. Anthony Richardson, Florida, quarterback

We never have many quarterbacks on this list, but this is a rare athlete. Richardson is a chiseled 6-4, 238 pounds with just 10 percent body fat and says he has run a 4.4 40 and can throw a football 75 yards. Football insiders eye-balling college quarterbacks at this summer’s Manning Passing Academy were wowed by Richardson’s physical tools, saying he and Kentucky’s

Will Levis

were well above and beyond every other quarterback there. Richardson cleans 325 pounds and squatted 500 this offseason.

“Anthony is physically built like an outside linebacker — tall, long, and chiseled out of stone,” said Florida strength coach Mark Hocke. “Has the athleticism (speed and agility) and bounce (plays above the rim) of a running back/wide receiver combined with a Jugs machine for an arm.”

If Richardson's self-reported 40-yard-dash result is true and can be replicated at the combine, a 4.4-flat, it would be tied for the second-fastest result by a quarterback since 1999 with Reggie McNeal, per MockDraftable. 

Only Michael Vick (4.33) posted a faster result, and it was recorded during his pro day. Vick was eventually selected first overall by the Atlanta Falcons in the 2001 NFL Draft.

It is basically without a doubt that Richardson will outrun his competition by a significant margin at this year's Combine, at the very least, as he's been clocked at a top speed of over 21 miles per hour in numerous games throughout his career. And if we are to make assumptions based on each prospect's tape, the odds are strong that Richardson's arm will measure in as the strongest of them all too. 

The opportunity to prove those theories correct in the same room as other quarterbacks could be considered too lucrative for Richardson to pass up. 

He may be considered a "raw" quarterback prospect, but in a year where no quarterback is the consensus No. 1, Richardson's raw abilities could push him to the top of the pack. That's what he's aiming for.

The quarterbacks will take the field at Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday, March 4 from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. EST, along with the wide receivers and tight ends. 

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