The Indianapolis Colts surprised a lot of people when they selected Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson as No. 4 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft. Rumors swirled that Kentucky quarterback Will Levis was who they were targeting with the pick, but that ended up not being the case.
Indianapolis instead took the raw, but extremely talented Richardson hoping he can turn into their franchise quarterback. The Colts have had a lot of success selecting quarterbacks high in the first round as they are hoping he can follow in the footsteps of Peyton Manning and Andrew Luck.
There is a good amount of work to be done for Richardson to reach that level. He isn’t anywhere near as polished of a prospect as Manning or Luck were coming out of college, but his ceiling is arguably higher than either of them because of the elite athleticism that he brings to the table.
That is one of the many positives that Richardson possesses, as he combines that other-worldly athleticism with a big body. He is a real threat in the running game and needs to be accounted for on every snap. Colts head coach Shane Steichen is going to have fun scheming RPOs for Richardson and running back Jonathan Taylor.
Once he breaks out of the pocket he is elusive, able to make opponents miss with excellent lateral quickness. That athleticism is also evident when he is in the pocket when he is dodging pass rushers.
The ball is on his receivers quickly as he possesses a rocket arm with accuracy. He will sometimes bail out of the pocket a little early, but his athleticism enables him to keep plays alive while seeking a big play downfield. The Colts have two big-bodied receivers that will benefit from this in Michael Pittman Jr. and Alec Pierce.
When Richardson has time to read coverage, he can get into a nice rhythm. He will look off defensive backs and rip the ball down the seam with precision and timing, which speaks volumes about his arm strength.
His mechanics lead to a very quick release, which will help him at the next level when trying to beat blitzes. That is a necessary skill to find success on quick hitters such as screen plays and rollouts.
When Richardson is on the move is when he is most dangerous. Given his arm strength and athleticism, he can make plays off script, such as throwing the ball despite being off balance. His eyes are always downfield looking for plays to develop.
The tools are certainly there for Richardson to develop into a star. The Colts need to exhibit patience as he is raw in some regards. But, given some of the early feedback, it would not be surprising if Richardson is under center early in the season, possibly for Week 1.
