REPORT: Anthony Richardson is 'Still in the Mix' for the Panthers

Could the Panthers go all-in on the draft's biggest risk?

Every day of every week leading up to the draft, rumors of all kinds make their way around the interwebs. Some should be consumed more seriously than others and that's what we have here with the latest intel from Joe Person of The Athletic, who recently reported that Florida's Anthony Richardson could still be an option for Carolina.

"A number of observers — including this one — have strongly suggested the Panthers' No. 1 pick has turned into a two-man race between Alabama quarterback Bryce Young and Ohio State QB C.J. Stroud.

But don't sleep on Anthony Richardson.

The Florida quarterback with the Cam Newton-like physique remains under consideration by the Panthers, according to a source with knowledge of the situation. Though Richardson and Will Levis have been viewed widely as throwaways when it comes to the Panthers' plans, Richardson is still in the mix."

This seems more likely in a trade-back scenario. The question is, how far do you go down the board? If you're the Panthers, you can't afford to get cute and trade your way out of position to where the only top quarterback left on the board is Will Levis. 

Arizona isn't going up from three to one. They're looking to move back. So unless another team moves up to three and then goes up to one, three is out of play. Houston doesn't seem eager to move up a spot and we all know Indianapolis is taking a quarterback. So two and four are out of play. Seattle or Las Vegas could make a move up the board, but not all the way to one. So, really, if the Panthers take Richardson, it's going to be at one or three. And again, for it to take place at three, you need another trade to go down. 

Is the risk of moving down worth it for Richardson? I don't think so. This decision has to come down to Stroud or Young. 

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