Commanders 'Home-Run Swing': Florida QB Anthony Richardson in Senior Bowl Mock NFL Draft

There would be some Washington Commanders fans none-too-happy about their team's first round pick in this NFL mock draft.

MOBILE, Ala. - The Washington Commanders need to find a No. 1 quarterback. 

We're not talking about a starting quarterback. No, the Commanders have had plenty of those. What Washington needs is to find its true franchise leader for the future. 

And in Trevor Sikkema's latest mock draft for Pro Football Focus that dropped just before Reese's Senior Bowl practices began, the Commanders might find that quarterback in Florida Gators prospect, Anthony Richardson. 

"I have Richardson going No. 16, but the truth is that his range is anywhere from No. 7 overall with the Raiders all the way to No. 26 with the Giants," writes Sikkema. "Richardson's numbers might scare teams, but his tape shows more promise than the raw data ... This is a true home-run swing that could change everything in Washington."

Drafting Richardson here is a move we haven't seen consistently mixed with the cornerback and offensive line targets commonly mocked to the Commanders at pick 16. 

But it's an intriguing option that many will not like for multiple reasons. 

For starters, Richardson may not be that - a "starter,'' that is - meaning he might prove too raw to push onto the field during his rookie season.

If that's the case, with pressure mounting on coach Ron Rivera entering his fourth season in Washington, this may not be a "Rivera'' move.

Then there's Sam Howell.

The 2022 fifth-rounder only got one game's worth of action, but he looked solid, composed, and handled himself well leading a grouo with nothing more to play for than pride. 

Can Howell really get an honest shot at being the franchise leader if a first-round quarterback enters the fray?

So far, the Commanders have attempted to develop an inherited quarterback, signed a veteran free agent, traded for another, used a hot-handed backup, and even drafted one on Day 3 of the NFL Draft in attempts to find the right guy. 

Why not give a Day 1 prospect a shot?

Find David Harrison on Twitter @DHarrison82 and on the Locked On Commanders podcast.

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