The NFL Scouting Combine wrapped up in Indianapolis on March 6, and no player improved his draft stock more than quarterback Anthony Richardson.
Richardson tested off the charts in the annual shorts and T-shirt event, and his performance likely cemented him in the top 10 picks of the NFL Draft. Richardson showed off his freakish ability at the combine and is arguably the most intriguing quarterback prospect since Lamar Jackson.
Richardson is the talk of the draft, but Jackson is the biggest storyline of the offseason. The Ravens placed the nonexclusive tag on Jackson, meaning he can talk to other teams once free agency begins. To add some fuel to the fire, Baltimore was reportedly one of several teams that met with the Florida superstar at the combine.
Baltimore currently owns the 22nd pick in the first round, but let’s imagine a scenario in which Jackson moves on prior to the draft. The Texans, Colts, Lions, Raiders, Falcons and Panthers are all in need of a quarterback and pick in the top 10.
Let’s take a deeper dive into the good and bad of the Gators’ quarterback and how he’d fit on the Ravens.
Anthony Richardson
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 244 pounds
Strengths: Freakishly athletic and showed it off at the combine. He broke a combine record for quarterbacks with a 40.5-inch vertical leap. He also had a 10-foot-9 broad jump and ran a 4.43-second 40-yard dash. He posted those numbers with a physique most NFL linebackers would dream of. His dual-threat ability will give defensive coordinators nightmares. He has the size to run defenders over and the speed to make them miss. He can make all the throws with his elite arm strength.
Weakness: Inaccuracy is his most glaring issue. He only completed 53.8 percent of his passes in his lone season as the Gators’ starter. As is the case for many quarterbacks of his caliber, he can hold onto the ball too long, resulting in unnecessary sacks. Scouts love his rocket arm, but he needs to take some heat off the fastball on short and intermediate passes. He can telegraph some of his passes by staring down receivers; needs to do a better job of manipulating coverages with his eyes.
NFL Player Comparison: We’ll let his words do the talking as he’s proclaimed himself as “Cam Jackson.” His body type is closer to Cam Newton, but his speed is reminiscent of Lamar Jackson.
Draft Projection: Potential top-10 selection.
Richardson is the biggest boom-or-bust prospect in this draft class. Prior to the combine, I had Richardson as my 20th player overall on my top 100 prospects. He’ll move up a couple spots on my big board, but I’ve still got him as the fourth quarterback, behind Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud and Will Levis, in that order.
His performance at the combine was buzz-worthy, but his play on the field was not. His completion percentage, touchdown-to-interception ratio and accomplishments don’t compare to either Newton or Jackson’s stellar collegiate careers.
In Newton’s lone season at Auburn, he won a national championship and Heisman Trophy, throwing for 2,854 yards and 30 touchdown passes while completing 66.1 percent of his throws. He also racked up 1,473 rushing yards and 20 rushing touchdowns.
Jackson had two years of work on his resume before declaring for the NFL Draft. He threw for more than 3,500 yards in 2016 and 2017 and combined for 57 touchdown passes in those two seasons. His completion rate was 56.2 percent as a sophomore and 59.1 as a junior. The 2016 Heisman winner also ran for more than 1,500 yards in both years and found the end zone another 39 times as a rusher.
Richardson threw for 2,549 yards and 17 touchdowns last season while adding another 654 yards and nine rushing scores. So to compare, Jackson averaged almost double the amount of touchdowns and a thousand more yards in both the air and on the ground. While there is plenty to be excited about with Richardson, he didn’t win a Heisman like Newton or Jackson. He won’t win an NFL MVP award like them either.
With all that said, the Ravens might be the team best equipped to use Richardson’s skill set from the start. They already have built a team around the mobility of their quarterback. Baltimore has a strong offensive line, a healthier J.K. Dobbins to ease the pressure, an All-Pro tight end to distribute the ball to and a coaching staff committed to this style of football. Jackson is a problem near the goal line, but Richardson’s size and speed could be a game-changer in the red zone. The idea of Richardson at the helm does offer some intrigue.
There are so many quarterback-needy teams that someone will take a shot on Richardson in the top 10 picks. Whatever teams lands Richardson is likely to notice how John Harbaugh and his staff tailored their offense around Jackson. But for Ravens fans, one way Richardson is wearing purple and black is if Jackson moves on prior to the draft. With each passing day, the potential for that scenario seems to grow, and if so, Richardson could be a potential replacement at quarterback.
Photo Credit: Florida Communications