Analysis
12/5/22
3 min read
Florida QB Anthony Richardson Declares for 2023 NFL Draft
Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson announced on Twitter he was entering the 2023 NFL Draft on Monday afternoon.
The 33rd Team analyst Charles Davis was surprised Richardson decided not to stay at Florida for one more season. Richardson was a one-year starter at the college level and has only started 12 career games.
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What type of player is Anthony Richardson?
Richardson started 12 games this season and threw for 2,549 yards, 17 touchdowns and nine interceptions. The polarizing prospect struggled early this season throwing four interceptions in his first three games but caught fire late, throwing for 12 touchdowns, two interceptions and rushing for an additional four scores in Florida's final six games.
Passing Stats
| Year | Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | Y/A | TD | Int | Rate |
| 2020 | 1 | 2 | 50 | 27 | 13.5 | 1 | 1 | 228.4 |
| 2021 | 38 | 64 | 59.4 | 529 | 8.3 | 6 | 5 | 144.1 |
| 2022 | 176 | 327 | 53.8 | 2549 | 7.8 | 17 | 9 | 131 |
| Career | 215 | 393 | 54.7 | 3105 | 7.9 | 24 | 15 | 133.6 |
Rushing Stats
| Year | Att | Yds | Avg | TD |
| 2020 | 7 | 61 | 8.7 | 0 |
| 2021 | 51 | 401 | 7.9 | 3 |
| 2022 | 103 | 654 | 6.3 | 9 |
| Career | 161 | 1116 | 6.9 | 12 |
"When I watched him throw this summer, the ball just jumps off his hand," Davis said. We use that term a lot. But his is different than most. It's a dart. Then, when he decides to run the football, how many people want to take him on in the open field at 232 pounds?"
While Richardson has tantalizing raw tools, his on-field play has left something to be desired.
"I love a lot of the great things I see, but I struggle with the inconsistency," Davis said. "I struggle with the lulls during games where the targets are not hit, where he's inaccurate, throwing the football, where the offense doesn't move quite as well. It's not all on him, but he is the quarterback of record. I thought more play in the SEC and a second year under the same head coach and system would help him."
The 6-foot-4, 232-pound quarterback is also a potent rushing threat. He put up 654 yards and nine rushing touchdowns this season, including a season-long run of 81 yards against LSU on Oct. 15. In Bruce Feldman's annual freak list it was noted that Richardson has said that he has run a 4.4 40-yard-dash and can throw a football 75 yards. Richardson is a name to watch in the pre-draft process with this size and athleticism.
Where does he fit in 2023 QB class?
Richardson joins Kentucky quarterback Will Levis as one of the other potential top quarterback prospects to declare for the draft. Levis is The 33rd Team's sixth overall player, and the top-rated quarterback. Richardson will likely have to compete with Alabama's Bryce Young and Ohio State's CJ Stroud for the top-quarterback spot.
"I would not have him ahead of any of [Young, Stroud, Levis and Hendon Hooker], Davis said about Richardson's current standing in the QB class. "We'll see how it all turns out come April in 2023."
Richardson is the 20th-ranked player on The 33rd Team's 2023 top-100 big board and the fourth-ranked quarterback.
