Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida

[Defjamz26]

On 4/1/2023 at 11:46 AM, twfish said:

I still don’t believe Levi’s needs to sit like others are saying. He’s been in a pro style offense for the past 2 years and I believe if they would have been able to hold onto their OC from his first year he would be rivaling C.J for #2 QB. He is incredibly smart but was ultimately let down by coaching and talent around him. Plus he is aware of his weaknesses and what he does wrong and has been working with I believe Palmer on correcting his deficiencies. AR absolutely has to sit for a year. But good lord does he have the tools.

Levis is also too old to sit lol. He’s like 24. You don’t sit a 24 year old QB who was a 2 year starter.

[NewColtsFan]

3 hours ago, Defjamz26 said:

Levis is also too old to sit lol. He’s like 24. You don’t sit a 24 year old QB who was a 2 year starter.

Sorry….  But this is not true.  
 

Last year, Pittsburgh drafted Kenny Pickett who turned 24 before the season started.   And he started 4 years and 48 games for the Panthers.    And the Steelers started Mitch Trubisky for the first 4-5 games. 
 

Sitting a rookie quarterback, even for some of the season,  can be a very good thing.   Guys like Luck who start week one and are great are exceptions to the rule.  Patience really can be a virtue.   

[Defjamz26]

11 hours ago, NewColtsFan said:

Sorry….  But this is not true.  
 

Last year, Pittsburgh drafted Kenny Pickett who turned 24 before the season started.   And he started 4 years and 48 games for the Panthers.    And the Steelers started Mitch Trubisky for the first 4-5 games. 
 

Sitting a rookie quarterback, even for some of the season,  can be a very good thing.   Guys like Luck who start week one and are great are exceptions to the rule.  Patience really can be a virtue.   

Well it’s fine if they sit Levis for just a couple of games like the Steelers did, but a whole season on the bench at that age would be a shocker to me.

[NewColtsFan]

12 hours ago, Defjamz26 said:

Well it’s fine if they sit Levis for just a couple of games like the Steelers did, but a whole season on the bench at that age would be a shocker to me.

It would be a shocker to me as well.   I think it would be a terribly bad sign if any of the QBs to sit for the entire season.    Very bad.   
 

I think even guys like Richardson and Hooker need to play the last 4-5 games if the year.   The Colts need to get some idea of what the rookie has learned and what he still needs to work on in the off-season.   
 

I like Minshew as the vet backup.  Always have.  But I do NOT want him starting all 17 games this season.   I think it would mean the Colts would have had a very very disappointing season. 
 

The rookie the Colts draft must play at least some.   Whether it’s 4, 6, 8, 10 games,  I don’t care.   But that player needs his NFL baptism to be this season. 

[stitches]

Sources: Florida QB Anthony Richardson ‘knocked’ S2 cognitive test ‘out of the park,’ also acing combine workout tests

 

So... it's been leaked so far that Bryce Young, Will Levis and Anthony Richardson have aced the test. There are some rumors that Stroud didn't do great with it. 

[Aces101]

 

[Matabix]

I'm sold drafting AR at 4. I think he helps the most in the run game right away. 8 in the box, 1 always has to account for him so it becomes 7 in the box. 

In the pocket it looks like he can extend plays like Russell Wilson. Arm strength close to Josh Allen. At the combine he looked like he was the 2nd most accurate QB, by not much.

Let's say it doesn't work out, what do we got. Extremely athletic guy 6'4" 230lb WR, and emergency 3rd QB. This also opens a roster spot cause we don't need 3 qbs on the roster. 

On a side note, I believe TY would be perfect for him in his 1st 2 years when he extends plays. I want Darnell Washington with 35.

 

[Mr. Irrelevant]

On 2/18/2023 at 10:30 AM, Superman said:

Here's my report on Anthony Richardson. Watched a ton of his clips, and shared just some of the standout plays below. Please sure your thoughts.

 

https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/anthony-richardson-2.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Richardson_(American_football)

https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/florida-football/anthony-richardson-5-things-to-know-about-floridas-qb/

 

Basic info: Born in May 2001, he'll be 22 years old at the start of the 2023 season. He's from Florida, and was recruited by current Eagles assistant coach Brian Johnson in 2019 while he was at UF. He also received offers from Georgia, Michigan, Penn State, etc. He backed up Kyle Trask in 2020, and then Emory Jones in 2021, before becoming the starter in 2022, and finishing with a 6-6 record.

 

Size/body: Listed at 6'4", 236 pounds, basically the prototypical size, frame, and build for an NFL QB. Pretty much the same BMI as Andrew Luck. He's strong and powerful, appears more than capable to handle NFL contact, especially for a player who will probably be a dual threat QB in the league. 10/10

 

Movement/athleticism: A major plus for him, he's an outstanding athlete. In the pocket and as a passer, he has quick feet, good balance (usually), can move suddenly, shrugs off plenty of contact. When he's escaping, he can change direction with little problem, and has the quickness and overall speed to outrun defenders, turn the corner, and run for big yardage. He's plenty fast in the open field, and he has moves that give DBs trouble. Check out the clip from the LSU game. If he tests at the Combine, he'll put up incredible numbers. 9/10

 

Throwing ability: Another huge plus, his arm is outstanding. Plenty of 60 yard throws on tape, some of them looking almost effortless. He can flip the ball 40 yards with a flick of the wrist, off his back foot. When he drives it, he can deliver it on a rope 30+ yards, with incredible velocity. When he's on the run, he can still push the ball to all areas of the field. Some technical issues undermine his accuracy (see next section), but he can hit deep outs to the opposite hash, 20-25 yards, no problem. There is no game throw he doesn't have the physical ability to make, and I feel like he'd outperform most QBs in a simple long toss competition. 9/10

 

Accuracy: Not so good. Most of this is related to mechanics, so see below. But then there are times when his mechanics seem fine, but he'll miss long or wide. Not much in the way of touch (there's a nice fade against Georgia), he often throws bullets to intermediate and flat receivers when a more delicate throw is necessary. His receivers also drop quite a few catchable passes. Not great at leading receivers running crossing routes, several of his throws are poorly placed, either too far in front, or behind. On the run, he can make some great passes, but is often off target. And again, while a lot is mechanics, there are also times where the throw misses for no obvious reason. All of this is borne out in his completion percentages (53.8% in 2022). Despite troubling accuracy, he doesn't throw a lot of picks. 4/10

 

Mechanics/footwork: The main root of all his issues. Part of the problem is his natural ability to bomb the ball all over the field with almost no effort, which allows him to be sloppy with footwork and throwing motion. He has a lot of bad habits -- bouncing up and down, sometimes side to side, not lining up to the target, rushing his delivery, trying to make a throw while being tackled, not shifting weight during delivery, sometimes changing arm slot for no apparent reason (compared to other QBs who always use an abbreviated or 3/4 motion), etc. At times he overstrides, which changes his eye level, resulting in over-/underthrows. There are some plays where he looks like he has no plan and no idea what he's doing, his eyes/head showing one thing, while his feet are showing something totally different. His drop is pretty good usually, from shotgun and under center And there are several plays where his mechanics are outstanding, including a few with pressure or a crowded pocket. And yes, he can improved dramatically with coaching and repeated drilling, but the concern is that people tend to revert to bad habits when under pressure, including QBs. 4/10

 

Processing/anticipation/vision: Runs an offense that translates well to the modern NFL, usually from shotgun but there are some snaps under center. Maybe because of his overall style there's a narrative that he doesn't make reads or go through progressions, and while he does a lot of RPO, play action, and half field reads, there are also a lot of plays where he appears to make full field reads, or go high/low quickly and decisively. It's probably not the norm for him, though. He'll get stuck on an early read, and throw late, resulting in inaccurate or defended passes. There's some tendency to hang on too long, leading to pressures, hits, sacks, late throws, and a decent amount of trying to throw with a defender pulling him to the ground. His incredible arm allows him to get away with some throws where he didn't see the safety, but probably baits him into some throws he should never try. I don't think reading and throwing into zone is a strong point for him, and anticipation/timing throws don't seem to connect very often. From the limited amount of all 22 I've seen, he'll miss an open receiver at times. Coaching, development and experience would hopefully help with this category, but many young QBs never become effective in these areas. 4/10

 

Pocket presence: At times he shows a good feel for the pocket, can feel pressure, moves around within the pocket on occasion. Does a good job of escaping from rushers, seems to have a good clock in his head. Tends to keep two hands on the ball in the pocket, until he's ready to throw or is in the open. Sometimes gets flustered by pressure, at which point all bets are off with his mechanics, but unlike most highly capable scramblers, he seems to naturally keep his eyes downfield, ready to find and throw to an open receiver. Stated above, but his physical ability -- power, balance, quickness, speed -- are all on display in the pocket and when being pressured. 7/10

 

Intangibles: I don't know much about him except what we see on the field. He competes, did more than enough to take the starting job from a redshirt senior. Gets fired up on big plays, which has to be contagious for his teammates. On podium he has a positive, upbeat demeanor, even after a loss, comes across as confident and focused. He speaks highly of his teammates, and they do the same. 8/10

 

Projection: I think it's the toughest projection so far. All the physical tools are on full display. He seems to have a good attitude and work ethic. However, the mechanics and accuracy are far from ideal. It's pretty obvious that he will struggle to run a full offense, but it shouldn't be hard to put together a limited package for him right away. Everyone is going to be talking about Jalen Hurts, and I see the appeal and the comparison makes sense -- good size, good physical tools (Richardson is bigger, stronger, has a better arm than Hurts), raw (Richardson is much more raw than Hurts was). But it's important to acknowledge that most NFL prospects don't improve enough to overcome their biggest flaws at the next level. Still, you can't teach the stuff that Richardson has, yet, he can get better at mechanics, accuracy, processing, etc. It's just not a given. He's a very risky prospect. He might be a better Josh Allen comp than Will Levis.

 

Remaining QB prospects: Hendon Hooker

 

https://forums.colts.com/topic/74880-will-levis-qb-kentucky/

https://forums.colts.com/topic/74915-bryce-young-qb-alabama/

https://forums.colts.com/topic/74975-cj-stroud-qb-ohio-state/

 

Vs Texas Tech, 4:26 -- excellent footwork and delivery

Vs LSU, 3:18 -- unstoppable force 

Vs SC, 0:50 -- embarrasses the DB

Vs SC, 4:13 -- effortless flick 50 yards, also shows uneasiness in the pocket

Vs SC, 4:56 -- dynamic movement, sloppy mechanics, inaccurate throw; watch his shoulder/eye level change, then he pops up to throw resulting in a poor throw

Vs SC, 5:25 -- excellent footwork, pass slightly behind the target, but good throw with a drop

Vs UGA, 0:00 -- this is what a scramble vs Georgia should look like, puts Stroud's game to shame

Vs UGA, 0:50 -- stance opens up, changes his posture, causes throw to sail

Vs UGA, 2:20 -- bucket throw off back foot nearly 50 yards in the air

Vs UGA, 3:14 -- this looks great, maybe a little rushed and doesn't get his weight shifted on time, the throw winds up long; maybe he just missed it because he's inconsistent

Vs UGA, 3:50 -- more playmaking on the ground against Georgia

Vs UGA, 5:18 -- reads single high, this becomes two deep but 2nd safety overplays; this is a great throw, fundamentals are excellent, his fake is subtle and doesn't seem intended to affect the safety, but it's still a well placed ball hitting receiver in stride, and the defender probably can't make a regardless

Vs UGA, 6:34 -- no more talk about Stroud's legs in the CFP

Vs UGA, 7:32 -- three plays, compare the mechanics: 1) quick reset for an accurate throw, great work; 2) double hitch, feet too close together, platform undermined, rushed delivery, the ball sails on him; 3) single hitch, feet shoulder width apart, smoot delivery, perfect outside fade

 

Edit: Some of these links aren’t going to the correct time stamp. It was late at night so I probably messed up on some of these. However, if you track to the time stamp on the video, it should take you to the play I’m referencing in my notes. FYI

Decided to read your excellent review one more time as we get closer to the draft. He certainly doesn’t sound like a prototype QB that Irsay loves, but there is something about Richardson that could excite a deflated fan base. Could be a fun prospect to rally behind the next couple of years and we are at a point where I desperately need something exciting to pin my hope on. Don’t care about a losing season as long as the trajectory is pointing upwards for the next couple of years. I think that aspect is something that Irsay is also thinking about in secret.

[holeymoley99]

He just doesnt seem to get it in interviews. Says Im going to throw it hard they better catch it instead of stating not all throws have to be rifles Im going to work on touch to help my wr's better succeed. He also balmes his wrs for drops saying i cant catch every ball I throw as well, well when most are so off target as many who watched tape can attest you wouldnt be able to catch those either no one could.

 

Guy just rubs me the wrong way with attitude and the game tape doesnt lie. Hard pass let some other team deal with this guy.

[Superman]

27 minutes ago, Mr. Irrelevant said:

Decided to read your excellent review one more time as we get closer to the draft. He certainly doesn’t sound like a prototype QB that Irsay loves, but there is something about Richardson that could excite a deflated fan base. Could be a fun prospect to rally behind the next couple of years and we are at a point where I desperately need something exciting to pin my hope on. Don’t care about a losing season as long as the trajectory is pointing upwards for the next couple of years. I think that aspect is something that Irsay is also thinking about in secret.

 

There's a lot to like about the dude. I just think a prospect like him would traditionally be a Day 2 guy -- like Hurts was -- specifically because he's so far away from being able to function as a pro QB. And I don't mean it's going to take him a long time, just that he has a lot to improve on. Hurts was far more polished as a passer, and he went in the second round. That risk is real, and I think his physical traits are so enticing that the risks get glossed over.

 

I think the fan base is going to be excited about having a new QB, no matter who it is. But it's going to take some time before we know what we have, especially if we draft Richardson. 

[Superman]

8 minutes ago, holeymoley99 said:

He just doesnt seem to get it in interviews. Says Im going to throw it hard they better catch it instead of stating not all throws have to be rifles Im going to work on touch to help my wr's better succeed. He also balmes his wrs for drops saying i cant catch every ball I throw as well, well when most are so off target as many who watched tape can attest you wouldnt be able to catch those either no one could.

 

Guy just rubs me the wrong way with attitude and the game tape doesnt lie. Hard pass let some other team deal with this guy.

 

I think there are some sound bites that don't play well, but I just recently watched his Combine presser again, and I think those sound bites are overblown. First, I think he was partly joking when he said 'they better catch it.' Second, he acknowledged he has to work on his touch and accuracy, and other things he has to improve on.

 

Ultimately, I don't make very much out of Combine press conferences, positive or negative. Getting to know a person, especially someone in their early 20s, is about more than what they say in front of a mic.

[stitches]

2 hours ago, Mr. Irrelevant said:

Decided to read your excellent review one more time as we get closer to the draft. He certainly doesn’t sound like a prototype QB that Irsay loves, but there is something about Richardson that could excite a deflated fan base. Could be a fun prospect to rally behind the next couple of years and we are at a point where I desperately need something exciting to pin my hope on. Don’t care about a losing season as long as the trajectory is pointing upwards for the next couple of years. I think that aspect is something that Irsay is also thinking about in secret.

That's not the reason we should pick him, but indeed... this Colts team has been one of the most boring teams in the league over the last few years. And if nothing else, IMO Richardson will introduce some intrigue and some excitement into the fanbase. But again... this should not be the reason you draft him. 

[stitches]

1 hour ago, Superman said:

 

I think there are some sound bites that don't play well, but I just recently watched his Combine presser again, and I think those sound bites are overblown. First, I think he was partly joking when he said 'they better catch it.' Second, he acknowledged he has to work on his touch and accuracy, and other things he has to improve on.

 

Ultimately, I don't make very much out of Combine press conferences, positive or negative. Getting to know a person, especially someone in their early 20s, is about more than what they say in front of a mic.

I think those soundbites in the context of the full presser are a nothing-burger. He was obviously joking with the media members on a few occasions. Haven't rewatched the presser since but I remember at the time in one of those same soundbites that people pull to make him look bad, he starts his answer with acknowledging he needs to work on his mechanics... but that part of course is cut out of the sound bite... 

 

Oh well... 

[stitches]