It was not a secret what the Indianapolis Colts were hoping to have happen during the 2023 NFL Draft. With the No. 4 overall pick, they were hoping to come away with their potential franchise quarterback. While the player who ended up being selected wasn’t who many thought it would be, the Colts accomplished their goal.
With the fourth pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Colts selected Florida quarterback, Anthony Richardson. Richardson possesses truly unheralded athleticism for the quarterback position when you take into account his size.
The future is bright in Indianapolis, as their offense will look drastically different. They are going from Matt Ryan, one of the least mobile quarterbacks in the NFL, to Richardson, who was breaking records when testing at the NFL Combine.
New Colts head coach Shane Steichen has to be ecstatic about getting to work with Richardson. After seeing what he was able to accomplish with Jalen Hurts in the last two seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles, there is a lot of optimism that he will be able to develop Richardson similarly.
Richardson already expressed poise and maturity during his first statements following the selection. He was asked about calling himself “Cam Jackson” after receiving comparisons to former MVPs Cam Newton and Lamar Jackson.
His answer was direct, exuding confidence in his ability. James Boyd, who covers the Colts for The Athletic, shared the quote.
“It’s time to make my own legacy. No more Cam Jackson. It’s Anthony Richardson now.”
Richardson is closer to Newton in terms of size, but his athleticism and speed rival the elusive and electrifying Jackson. That is a tough combination for opposing defenses to slow down, especially if Steichen and his staff can mold and hone the potential that Richarson is overflowing with.
After four seasons of stopgap veteran options following Andrew Luck’s shocking retirement ahead of the 2019 season, the Colts have their long-term answer in Richardson. Indianapolis has had excellent returns on the last two quarterbacks they selected in the first round, as Luck followed in the footsteps of Peyton Manning.
If Richardson can come close to replicating the production those players had, it won’t be long until the Colts are once again contenders in the AFC.
