With the No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Indianapolis Colts selected Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson. It was a surprising move to some people as Will Levis of Kentucky was gaining a lot of steam in the days leading up to the draft as the player Indianapolis was targeting.
Alas, Levis ended up slipping into the second round, where his slide was stopped by the Tennessee Titans. Richardson was seemingly the Colts guy all along as they now have what they hope is their franchise quarterback for years to come.
A big reason that the Colts likely ended up going with Richardson is the immense potential that he possesses. His athleticism numbers are off the charts, as he became only the second quarterback since 2003 to receive a 99 athleticism score at the NFL Combine.
That kind of athleticism at the quarterback position is unheard of, as Richardson is essentially the size of Cam Newton but moves like Lamar Jackson. That is a scary combination for opposing defenses to scheme against, especially with Shane Steichen as his head coach.
Given the turnaround that Jalen Hurts experienced under Steichen as offensive coordinator with the Philadelphia Eagles, there is a lot of excitement to see what he can do with Richardson on the Colts. While the former Gator is raw in many aspects, as his numbers were underwhelming collegiately, the sky’s the limit for his potential.
Just how good does he project to be? According to scouting reports at CBS Sports, Richardson drew an 89.87 overall grade. That put him slightly below Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud, who went first and second to the Carolina Panthers and Houston Texans. But, that number still projects as a long-term starter in the NFL.
Given how the last few years have gone for the Colts, a long-term starter that can provide continuity at the position is all they could ask for. They have tried filling the hole left by Andrew Luck’s retirement with veteran stopgaps but none have succeeded.
Now, they have Richardson to hopefully fill that void for years to come. The Colts’ track record of first-round quarterbacks recently is excellent, as they are hoping he can follow in the footsteps of Peyton Manning and Luck.
