Gators QB Anthony Richardson 'Had a Feeling' Colts Would Call His Name
Photo: Anthony Richardson; Credit: Alex Shepherd
Former Gators quarterback Anthony Richardson, awaiting his NFL Draft selection, sat in the green room in Kansas City, watching quarterbacks Bryce Young and CJ Stroud come off the board with the first and second overall picks.
Buffered by the Texans' re-entry into the top five to select Will Anderson at No. 3, the early run-on quarterbacks finalized with the Indianapolis Colts selection at No. 4.
Prior to his selection, Richardson, recalling his pre-draft meetings and the rapport he built with the team's brass, envisioned his phone ringing to the tune of Colts general manager Chris Ballard and head coach Shane Steichen.
It did.
"Once I seen the fourth pick was up, I kind of had that feeling that they were going to give me the call," Richardson said via the Colts team website.
"I kind of had a feeling that they were going to select me, because I fell in love with the people in the building when I was there on my visit," he said. "Then, just talking to coach (Shane Steichen), talking to Chris Ballard — just talking to those guys and getting familiar with them, it felt like home. And now they picked me up, and I'm ready to come home."
Reaching the pinnacle of a long journey to the National Football League, emotions overcame the uber-talented passer as he celebrated with his family before exiting to shake hands with Commissioner Roger Goodell on stage.
"They gave me the call and I celebrated with my family and tears just started rolling down."
Entering the selection process as arguably the highest-ceiling player in the pool of potential draftees, Richardson presented considerable intrigue for the services he could bring to his prospective team at the next level.
Despite an inconsistent nature in production collegiately, the former Gators signal-caller possesses unmirrored intangibles and athletic testing metrics that made several franchises laud him as they scouted the field for their potential quarterback of the future.
He drew in scouts from all 32 teams at his pro day and was consistently a point of emphasis in pre-draft coverage, given the potential he exudes.
When asked what he brings to the table, Richardson candidly addressed the voices who have expressed concern for his jump to the next level while simultaneously offering his analysis of why his jump to the NFL will be successful.
"You know, for one, I'm a hard worker. I truly believe that, and I'm willing to work hard and work harder than anybody," Richardson said. "Two, God blessed me with physical abilities that not every quarterback has. People see me, they don't think I'm a quarterback.
"I'm not an average quarterback, and I can do things other QBs can't do. So, I definitely take pride in that. And then I'm also willing to learn. So, I'm willing to be just as good or, if not, better than all these quarterbacks in the draft or all the quarterbacks in the league."
Now, following the initial pleasantries exchanged when he arrives at Indianapolis' facilities, Richardson expects to hit the ground running as he's set to likely assume the team's starting quarterback position as early as this upcoming season, competing with former sixth-rounder and presumed No. 2 opinion in the quarterback room Gardner Minshew.
Richardson understands the tall ask as the No. 4 overall pick.
"I'm going to try to be ready as fast as I can, try to be ready before preseason, try to be ready before the first game," he said. "You know, they picked me this high for a reason, so I'm gonna put the work in and make sure I'm ready for the franchise."
Joining a team undergoing reconstruction after several years of lackluster success relative to expectations, the former Florida quarterback is not the only first-timer stepping into the building.
Steichen took the reins of the Colts franchise this offseason as he was appointed the new head coach. Outside of his head coaching responsibilities, his main task will be to mentor his second rookie quarterback in four years to stardom.
The offensive philosophy he brings is proven to elicit success, and it's a scheme Richardson shared he's largely familiar with after watching a season ago.
"I was watching all last year," Richardson said. "I love Jalen Hurts. I was watching mainly because of him. I'm pretty much familiar (with) what they're running, and I'm excited to get in it."
Steichen played a monumental role in the Eagles' return to the Super Bowl in 2022, as the team boasted one of the league's most incessant attacks. The offense's efficiency earned him looks on the coaching market as an up-and-coming coaching mind.
However, the development of Philadelphia quarterback Jalen Hurts arguably held a larger implication for the team's overall growth and success. He helped the offense click at a level unforeseen in the early stages of Nick Sirianni's tenure in Brotherly Love.
It played a factor in his hiring in Indy this offseason, as the need for a young and talented franchise quarterback was glaring.
Richardson is that piece, but he needs molding.
While he won't have the help of former Gators QB coach Brian Johnson — who operated at the same position for the Eagles over the past two years before taking over offensive coordinator duties upon Steichen's departure — Steichen's goal will be to set Richardson on a similar path to Hurts for the Colts to realize an exponential ascension.
Richardson, who hasn't been one to shy away from the questions of his "NFL readiness" during the pre-draft process, is eager to operate under Steichen's tutelage to earn his stripes at the professional level.
"I'm going to be a dynamic player for the franchise," he told NFL Network's Melissa Stark on stage in Kansas City. "I'm going to work hard, I'm going to be a leader, but it's time to make my own legacy.
"No more Cam Jackson, it's Anthony Richardson now."
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