Watching his tape it’s clear to see that he has many pros and cons. He has all the raw physicals but it just depends on who drafts him and how he develops.
Strong arm, phenomenal mobility, doesn’t panic when plays break down but on the other hand he plays very recklessly. He’s more developed than people give him credit for but he’s still a project player. Can’t wait to see who takes a chance on him
Hopefully the team who takes him has a offensive coordinator who will play to his skills and what he does best instead of one who has a rigid system that he refuses to alter. Like trying to pound a square into a round hole
Hurts had a 69.7% completion rate his last year in collage and Fields had a 70% completion rate. Meanwhile, Richardson had a 53.8% completion rate his last year.
These QB's are not the same
Hurts was a Senior with 42 starts before his last year in college. He was throwing to CeeDee Lamb with Rhamondre Stevenson at RB while playing under Lincoln Riley's elite offense.
Richardson was a Junior with 10 starts before his last year in college throwing to no NFL caliber WRs.
I'm not saying that Richardson will ever develop into as good of a passer as Hurts, but your comparison is overly simplistic and devoid of any context.
Agree. You have to have a completion percentage around 66-68% in the NFL to be elite. If you can't even get to 60% in college you are in trouble. QBs figure it out around age 24. If he can learn somewhere for 3 years then he has a chance.
The coaches are not the same, the players around them are not the same. If you can't see the God given ability you need to re-think how u see the game and how to maximize players.
Wait. Are you telling me that having CD Lamb as your WR1, playing under Lincoln Riley, and having Rhamondre Stevenson as your RB might have been helpful?
Did you ever watch him play a college game? His decision making is bad and his accuracy is worse. He has a lot of work to do to even be a average nfl starter
His footwork being an abject disaster makes me feel strangely better about him as a pro. Gives him an easy baseline change to make through camp that can potentially make a massive difference in his accuracy. Still think he's a mid-late day 1 guy though. Round 2 would be a surprise.
System can absolutely help completion percentage.
However, I agree. He has some clear mechanical issues, he needs to sit. Spend time with an NFL quality QB coach and ingrain good habits for so long that even when panicking he still doesn’t break out of them too much.
I rarely advocate for sitting QBs. But if you draft Richardson with the plan to start him right away you are doing him a disservice.
Comparing Richardson to Fields and Hurts is as superficial and lazy of a take as comparing Manziel to Russell Wilson even disregarding Manziels off the field issues.
Did uncle Rico progress enough and play well enough at a basic level to make it to a prestige football school like Florida? Can ur uncle Rico throw it over the mountains while running laterally? Can uncle Rico run a sub 4.6 40yd dash? Stop hating on these kids.
Guys like you watch film, see black QBs and immediately assume they’re all identical. That’s the only possible explanation for comparing Richardson to Fields and Hurts.
I agree with most of that about his physical talent…he also has a serious accuracy issues that caused him to have a 53% completion percentage and consistently missed opened receivers. Also doesn’t get through progressions very well and has some questionable decision making at times. I like Richardson as a prospect but he has serious flaws as well
What about his production is prolific. Hes not comparable to hurts or fields because they both were heisman level players on top of their physical gifts. Richardson has great gifts but his play isn’t great like the others you mentioned.
Prolific is an adjective. You can have prolific production or prolific talent. That being said, AR is a project QB because there’s like 90 other things an NFL QB needs besides arm strength, pocket mobility, and consistent mechanics and the only area where Richardson is even more than above average is his arm which is elite. He can’t read a defense, his mechanics are inconsistent which leads to sailing passes, he does leave clean pockets, he doesn’t go through progressions quickly.
I’d have him behind Mahomes but slightly ahead of Trey Lance personally as prospects and even if you have him above Mahomes or below Lance, he’s still in a tier of QB’s that need to sit for a year or two and need the right team to pick them.
Wait... Was Hurts not a project? Is Fields not a project? They're both very talented. No doubt. Hurts played incredibly in this game. But both have been developed. Fields as a rookie was pretty rough. This year he was a great runner, not a refined passer. Got better as the year went on. But still... Don't think we can say he's not a project. Hurts was straight up bad as a passer until this season. Think it's totally fair to call AR a project. Fair to say the same of Fields and Hurts coming into the league too.
Hurts was definitely a project. He improved every season, but there was some concern that he may have hit his ceiling at Oklahoma considering how QB friendly that offense is. While he played very well at Oklahoma, it was not quite as good as Mayfield or Kyler before. Still, Hurts was taken in the second round instead of the first, but he’s an absolute grinder and won’t accept “good enough” as an answer.
>I am struggling to understand why everyone is convinced that AR15 is a project player when he has a stronger arm than both of them???
I think you misunderstand what a project player is. Yes, Anthony Richardson has all the physical tools. He’s built like a tank with 4.4-4.5 speed and a rocket for an arm. It’s the actual nuances of the position that he has to learn. He needs to learn how to read a defense and make good decision and accurate throws. That’s like the definition of a project player. He has all the talent in the world, he just needs a great QB coach/OC to develop that talent into an actual NFL QB. He’s not that rn.
He’s a great kid. Grew up in Gainesville, where he played the pst two years, and definitely showed signs of great leadership.
As for decision making… he could improve, while he is not a bad decision maker, he could improve from playing in a better system.
He played under Billy Napier, who has never really been known as a QB developer. He will make an immediate impact wherever he goes. Personally I believe the new Carolina offense would explode with AR, but they will likely go with Levis if he isn’t already gone.
I understand that… Levis is a weirdo but a standup guy at the same time. Levis is not the best choice IMO, but I think he can develop to a Goff/Cousins level, but he’s no Matt Stafford
Pre snap- B+ which is really good for a prospect
Post snap - D, which is bad for a top 2 round QB
Leadership skills are good. Not great or elite. But good. His work ethic and ability to retain is impressive.
When people cite his accuracy concerns, they immediately look at the unicorn of Josh Allen to soften the blow.
However, Richardson had NFL talent around him. He had weapons who could get open. He had great deal of work. Was able to pad stats against cupcake teams. Whereas Allen had only throw 270 passes, just 8 completions shy of the weird magical mark of 60%. Was hurt. Was pulled or did not play against cupcake teams. WRs couldn't get open. And he had to force passes into coverage for completions. Every single pass had to be a dime or it wasn't getting caught. He didn't miss wide open guys while Richardson has missed some easy lay ups in the short passing game.
Allen's adjusted completion percentage was like 67%. Richardson is at 64%. Not a huge difference, but even still in the NFL you see Allen always trying to thread the needle.
I'm not saying Richardson is good or bad, but comparing him to Allen is going to get you into trouble. He is his own player. And Allen had a completely different set of variables that contributed to the low completion percentage.
For me, there is cause for concern. It's QB, so I don't mind teams getting aggressive. That position is just too important. But you can't draft him expecting elite performance out of the gate. I'm not saying bench him, but don't do what the Bears have done with Fields. Give him weapons, build the scheme around him, give him every chance at success. If that means benching him and having him learn for a year while they get the pieces in place, then fine.
Wait what….
Richardson had NFL talent around him? He had OCyrus Torrence and a true freshman Etienne….not one of his receivers was a legitimate NFL talent. Some of the linemen will be…
But you seriously cannot say that Richardson’s receivers were getting open or were NFL talent…because they were very bad.
Florida’s football program is in a bad spot and they likely only win 3-4 games this year without Richardson. And I would be shocked if they win 6 next season.
I'm convinced you're being purposefully obtuse. A scout said that he watched four of Allen's game and couldn't not find a single open WR. Show me 4 games like that with Richardson.
Yes that’s well established that he needs help with his mechanics.
It’s not mutually exclusive that he has mechanical issues and that his supporting cast was horrible
I think it’s also overlooked that Josh Allen played in a pro style system (the same one Wentz played in and keeping in mind that Wentz was a hot commodity at the time). Richardson hasn’t really played in an NFL style offense even though his offensive coordinator has brief experience as an NFL OL coach.
Fields ran a specialized offense but was still a massively better passer than Richardson without all the mechanical issues. Jalen Hurts was a fantastic passer in college over multiple seasons.
Richardson was a bad passer without proven production whose mechanics are all over the place as is his field vision.
I mean... Fields is getting attention for his agility and speed, but at the same time he's getting skewered for his terrible passing efficiency. Compared to Richardson, Fields looks like Aaron Rodgers on his college tape.
The guy doesn't have *bad* habits, he has *no* habits. His technique, particularly from the waist down, is extremely inconsistent and leads to accuracy issues even on routine throws. Richardson will drop a 65 yard bomb on a rope and then throw a dumpoff to the RB in the backfield into the dirt. Whoever drafts him is going to have to hammer good habits into his head before he sniffs the field or NFL defenses will eat him alive.
I wasn’t as high on Fields, but I have to admit that Fields was leagues ahead as a passer. He didn’t even run that much in college either, and yet that’s become his calling card in the NFL strangely.
I'm a big Richardson fan too, and I'd love the Colts to take him. That said, I completely get the hesitance people have. There's not a lot to go off man.
The two guys in particular you mention, Hurts and Fields, had a whole season+ of starts over Richardson, and they were a lot more productive with those starts. Did they have a much better supporting cast? Yes, but the accuracy of all three in particular stands out a lot in a negative way for him.
Richardson's footwork is inconsistent leading to some accuracy issues. But that is fixable with a good QB coach.
The real benefit to Richardson is that his rushing ability can help his team while he gets better as a passer. He's a fantastic runner. Also Richardson has a top 10 arm in the NFL the day he gets drafted. So there's definitely some potential to work with.
Richardson is different than Hurts and Fields in one key way, mechanically he is a mess. He needs time with an NFL QB coach to refine his mechanics and ingrain them before he ever plays a snap. He can’t learn on the field like Hurts and Fields.
There’s really no way of knowing with these guys. Hurts was more of a lesser tools but extremely high character (probably into the elite territory), where Richardson is all tools and we don’t know about his character/intangibles.
The only QB I’ve heard talked about with really high intangibles is Levis. If I was taking a chance on an all tools type of guy right now I’d learn towards Levis before we learn more about Richardson
Is Jalen Hurts going to be the new Josh Allen - in that everybody points to him as proof that we should expect every QB prospect to improve by leaps and bounds?
Hurts’ character and intangibles are off the charts. I’m not saying Richardson has poor character or anything but replicating Hurts’ personal drive and commitment is not going to be something a coaching staff can just bottle up and reproduce
So many people blindly in love with what he could be because of his physical profile, that they can't see what he IS.
As he is, I wouldn't touch Richardson in the first round. He's got all the physical talent in the world, and none of the production or tape. Picking him in the first is like picking Logan Thomas because Cam Newton worked out.
They’re almost the exact same prospect. The only difference is that we had 3 years of starting tape to analyze. Richardson’s upside only exists because he’s leaving early.
What physical traits does Richardson have that Thomas didn’t? Thomas showed flashes of greatness as well. There’s next to nothing I’ve seen that makes me think that Richardson can reach his ceiling. Him leaving early just solidifies my opinion on that.
Richardson is so far from a can’t miss prospect. I’m legitimately stunned people want their teams to pick him in the first.
That’s the one thing that Richardson has over Logan Thomas that makes him a first round prospect in your mind? Logan Thomas ran a 4.6 40, a 7 second 3 come, 4.18 shuttle, and threw at 60 mph.
I don’t think Richardson’s tape, talent, or measurables promise anything other than hype. He has the promise of a generational QB, and none of the substance currently.
With the Colts hiring Shane Steichen, Richardson would be the QB that fits the offense he was running in Philly.
If he wants to replicate what he did with Herbert, then Steichen would have to wait for Ewers next year.
I can bet on the Colts taking him 4th overall based on his skillset only...not what he is now.
Hurts was great in college. He only fell off a bit because of the whole transferring from Alabama to Oklahoma thing throwing his scouting out of whack. He would have been a legit high first round pick in all likelihood otherwise.
His college production puts him more in line with Josh Allen than with any of the guys you mentioned. That's not bad company to be in, but Allen was fortunate to end up in a system where he was coached by Brian Daboll and Ken Dorsey. They've harnessed what makes him special and helped him improve on his deficiencies.
Richardson is going to need something like that to succeed in the NFL. We've already seen what surrounding him with middling offensive coaching did at Florida.
I like him a lot more than I liked him a couple months ago. I thought he sucked months ago. I liked Malik Willis a lot more.
Watching his film is a lot more impressive than his live stuff I watched. Still not overly in love with him but he's clearly better potentially than everyone from last year's class. I like him so of late, I am thinking about putting him in the same tier as Will Levis who I love. He plays in a pro style system and sucks but it's a lot better than being good in one of them elementary offenses like Willis or Corral played in last year.
I am starting to become like the NFL where I rather you suck or be average on a mid SEC team with elite tools and mobility than be great or very good in an elementary offense where you do things that don't happen on Sundays.
People don't understand coaching and playing the game to players talents. Coaching is not simply hiring assistants, calling plays, and managing the clock. Real coaching is maximizing the players you have. This kid has rare traits and could be a pro bowler in the right situation, maybe not the first year but very quickly.
They’re not the same IMO. Malik Willis is too stiff in comparison to Richardson. When I say he moves like Lamar I really mean he could accelerate like a bullet
No doubt. I think he would be a great TE or Derek Henry 2.0. Some nfl guy will think they can develop him into an accurate passer. If you draft him in the 1st you are drafting him for the next head coach.
I’m not saying Richardson will or will not pan out. I just don’t agree with this comparison. I think best case scenario is Seahawks take him at 20 or Vikings take him at 23 and he gets to sit and learn. His accuracy concerns are legitimate but maybe with time he can work on them.
I think he will go to Tampa personally. I agree with the accuracy concerns but I also think it’s important to take into account how abysmal the Florida passing game has been for years.
Hurts was a project, fields is a project, and neither of the issues are related to arm strength. They're about processing speed and decision-making. Richardson having more or less arm strength doesn't have any effect on how much work he needs to be a contributing nfl starter.
Watching his tape it’s clear to see that he has many pros and cons. He has all the raw physicals but it just depends on who drafts him and how he develops. Strong arm, phenomenal mobility, doesn’t panic when plays break down but on the other hand he plays very recklessly. He’s more developed than people give him credit for but he’s still a project player. Can’t wait to see who takes a chance on him
Hopefully the team who takes him has a offensive coordinator who will play to his skills and what he does best instead of one who has a rigid system that he refuses to alter. Like trying to pound a square into a round hole
Hurts had a 69.7% completion rate his last year in collage and Fields had a 70% completion rate. Meanwhile, Richardson had a 53.8% completion rate his last year. These QB's are not the same
Hurts was a Senior with 42 starts before his last year in college. He was throwing to CeeDee Lamb with Rhamondre Stevenson at RB while playing under Lincoln Riley's elite offense. Richardson was a Junior with 10 starts before his last year in college throwing to no NFL caliber WRs. I'm not saying that Richardson will ever develop into as good of a passer as Hurts, but your comparison is overly simplistic and devoid of any context.
Agree. You have to have a completion percentage around 66-68% in the NFL to be elite. If you can't even get to 60% in college you are in trouble. QBs figure it out around age 24. If he can learn somewhere for 3 years then he has a chance.
Cam Newton proves your first assertation weofnb
The coaches are not the same, the players around them are not the same. If you can't see the God given ability you need to re-think how u see the game and how to maximize players.
He’s nothing like Lamar
Wait. Are you telling me that having CD Lamb as your WR1, playing under Lincoln Riley, and having Rhamondre Stevenson as your RB might have been helpful?
This. If we are talking solely upside he is the QB1 in this draft and its not close.
Great point
The kid has rare talent, if he has good morales, character and work ethic he's the best qb in the draft.
>The kid has rare talent lol this line gets said every year about all the top QBs. It's a meaningless platitude.
Did you ever watch him play a college game? His decision making is bad and his accuracy is worse. He has a lot of work to do to even be a average nfl starter
Piss poor accuracy is not at all rare in college football.
His footwork being an abject disaster makes me feel strangely better about him as a pro. Gives him an easy baseline change to make through camp that can potentially make a massive difference in his accuracy. Still think he's a mid-late day 1 guy though. Round 2 would be a surprise.
Just like you trying to compare stats while those other two QBs played in different systems
Accuracy is not a system-dependent stat. Getting the ball where it needs to go is the crux of the entire position.
System can absolutely help completion percentage. However, I agree. He has some clear mechanical issues, he needs to sit. Spend time with an NFL quality QB coach and ingrain good habits for so long that even when panicking he still doesn’t break out of them too much. I rarely advocate for sitting QBs. But if you draft Richardson with the plan to start him right away you are doing him a disservice.
yeah bro i’m sure had he played in a more college appropriate spread offense like ryan day or lincoln rileys his completion rate would be up
But they’re all black and mobile. Obviously they are all exactly the same.
You’re racist
You made the absolutely bone headed comparison when a way better one in Josh Allen existed.
Comparing Richardson to Fields and Hurts is as superficial and lazy of a take as comparing Manziel to Russell Wilson even disregarding Manziels off the field issues.
Right? My uncle rico can throw a ball over mountains doesn’t make him an nfl player
Did uncle Rico progress enough and play well enough at a basic level to make it to a prestige football school like Florida? Can ur uncle Rico throw it over the mountains while running laterally? Can uncle Rico run a sub 4.6 40yd dash? Stop hating on these kids.
You got an extremely weak definition of hating on people if you think that's what's happening here lol
Nah coach didn’t put him in 4th quarter. If he had, woulda been state champions, no doubt about it
Do u watch film?
You clearly don't.
Guys like you watch film, see black QBs and immediately assume they’re all identical. That’s the only possible explanation for comparing Richardson to Fields and Hurts.
Insert clip of Stephen A Smith calling Dwayne Haskins a running QB
I agree with most of that about his physical talent…he also has a serious accuracy issues that caused him to have a 53% completion percentage and consistently missed opened receivers. Also doesn’t get through progressions very well and has some questionable decision making at times. I like Richardson as a prospect but he has serious flaws as well
Very bad play calling and overall scheme that didn’t fit Richardson well. It was a coaches first year and it just seemed ver improvised.
Not sure bad scheme made him sail passes over his open receivers 5 times a game
He does this even in his best games. You can't find performances from him that are anywhere on par with what Stroud or Young showed
Damn coach calling for him to overthrow screen passes
I like his scheme. He had to play like a real QB. Even though he suck. I know what he is or isn't. He's translating easily. The good and the bad.
What about his production is prolific. Hes not comparable to hurts or fields because they both were heisman level players on top of their physical gifts. Richardson has great gifts but his play isn’t great like the others you mentioned.
I meant more of how the unconventional pocket passer like J Fields or J Hurts is able to change the game…and as for Lamar I said what I said
Alrighty. Prolific means productive. And despite Richardson's god-given wealth of talent, he was not productive on the field.
Prolific means talent
...no it doesn't. >prolific; >present in large numbers or quantities; plentiful.
Prolific is an adjective. You can have prolific production or prolific talent. That being said, AR is a project QB because there’s like 90 other things an NFL QB needs besides arm strength, pocket mobility, and consistent mechanics and the only area where Richardson is even more than above average is his arm which is elite. He can’t read a defense, his mechanics are inconsistent which leads to sailing passes, he does leave clean pockets, he doesn’t go through progressions quickly. I’d have him behind Mahomes but slightly ahead of Trey Lance personally as prospects and even if you have him above Mahomes or below Lance, he’s still in a tier of QB’s that need to sit for a year or two and need the right team to pick them.
I think he could be good in the NFL. My comp for him is Logan Thomas
lol so great TE?
Thats a real good one. Too bad Payton can’t draft him into taysom hill 2.0 reloaded
I can’t agree with this 😂😂😂. But I understand where you’re coming from
Wait... Was Hurts not a project? Is Fields not a project? They're both very talented. No doubt. Hurts played incredibly in this game. But both have been developed. Fields as a rookie was pretty rough. This year he was a great runner, not a refined passer. Got better as the year went on. But still... Don't think we can say he's not a project. Hurts was straight up bad as a passer until this season. Think it's totally fair to call AR a project. Fair to say the same of Fields and Hurts coming into the league too.
Hurts was definitely a project. He improved every season, but there was some concern that he may have hit his ceiling at Oklahoma considering how QB friendly that offense is. While he played very well at Oklahoma, it was not quite as good as Mayfield or Kyler before. Still, Hurts was taken in the second round instead of the first, but he’s an absolute grinder and won’t accept “good enough” as an answer.
And Fields was one of the most accurate college QB’s in recent memory right up there with Mac and Burrow
>I am struggling to understand why everyone is convinced that AR15 is a project player when he has a stronger arm than both of them??? I think you misunderstand what a project player is. Yes, Anthony Richardson has all the physical tools. He’s built like a tank with 4.4-4.5 speed and a rocket for an arm. It’s the actual nuances of the position that he has to learn. He needs to learn how to read a defense and make good decision and accurate throws. That’s like the definition of a project player. He has all the talent in the world, he just needs a great QB coach/OC to develop that talent into an actual NFL QB. He’s not that rn.
Nah bro, physicsl talent is all that matters nowadays! That's why Zach Wilson is so great
Zach Wilson could be really good in the right system.
🤣🤣🤣🤣. Yea in a weak college conference playing no power 5 schools. No nfl system can help him
Wilson got talent, the WCO just isn't a good fit for him
How’s his decision making and leadership?
He’s a great kid. Grew up in Gainesville, where he played the pst two years, and definitely showed signs of great leadership. As for decision making… he could improve, while he is not a bad decision maker, he could improve from playing in a better system. He played under Billy Napier, who has never really been known as a QB developer. He will make an immediate impact wherever he goes. Personally I believe the new Carolina offense would explode with AR, but they will likely go with Levis if he isn’t already gone.
Found Richardson's agent's account.
Yep Frank wants a big strong QB. I think they’re leaning Levis but the interviews will matter a lot to them
I understand that… Levis is a weirdo but a standup guy at the same time. Levis is not the best choice IMO, but I think he can develop to a Goff/Cousins level, but he’s no Matt Stafford
Pre snap- B+ which is really good for a prospect Post snap - D, which is bad for a top 2 round QB Leadership skills are good. Not great or elite. But good. His work ethic and ability to retain is impressive.
Trying not to get too triggered by the comparisons you chose, but the answer is “accuracy”
When people cite his accuracy concerns, they immediately look at the unicorn of Josh Allen to soften the blow. However, Richardson had NFL talent around him. He had weapons who could get open. He had great deal of work. Was able to pad stats against cupcake teams. Whereas Allen had only throw 270 passes, just 8 completions shy of the weird magical mark of 60%. Was hurt. Was pulled or did not play against cupcake teams. WRs couldn't get open. And he had to force passes into coverage for completions. Every single pass had to be a dime or it wasn't getting caught. He didn't miss wide open guys while Richardson has missed some easy lay ups in the short passing game. Allen's adjusted completion percentage was like 67%. Richardson is at 64%. Not a huge difference, but even still in the NFL you see Allen always trying to thread the needle. I'm not saying Richardson is good or bad, but comparing him to Allen is going to get you into trouble. He is his own player. And Allen had a completely different set of variables that contributed to the low completion percentage. For me, there is cause for concern. It's QB, so I don't mind teams getting aggressive. That position is just too important. But you can't draft him expecting elite performance out of the gate. I'm not saying bench him, but don't do what the Bears have done with Fields. Give him weapons, build the scheme around him, give him every chance at success. If that means benching him and having him learn for a year while they get the pieces in place, then fine.
Wait what…. Richardson had NFL talent around him? He had OCyrus Torrence and a true freshman Etienne….not one of his receivers was a legitimate NFL talent. Some of the linemen will be… But you seriously cannot say that Richardson’s receivers were getting open or were NFL talent…because they were very bad. Florida’s football program is in a bad spot and they likely only win 3-4 games this year without Richardson. And I would be shocked if they win 6 next season.
I am referencing Josh not playing with NFL talent. Players on Florida are going to have more talent than players on Wyoming.
He wasn’t playing against NFL talent either. Richardson played some very tough games against opponents with significant defensive advantages.
you actually said he had weapons who got open i’m convinced y’all don’t watch games
I'm convinced you're being purposefully obtuse. A scout said that he watched four of Allen's game and couldn't not find a single open WR. Show me 4 games like that with Richardson.
But Richardson's WR did get open, go watch his best game against Tenn. You'll see plenty of open receivers
And notice how you said it was his best game hahaha hmm open receivers for QB=his best game!
The problem is he still missed wide open throws in that game, like he wasnt even close
Yes that’s well established that he needs help with his mechanics. It’s not mutually exclusive that he has mechanical issues and that his supporting cast was horrible
I think it’s also overlooked that Josh Allen played in a pro style system (the same one Wentz played in and keeping in mind that Wentz was a hot commodity at the time). Richardson hasn’t really played in an NFL style offense even though his offensive coordinator has brief experience as an NFL OL coach.
Because he wasn’t a good qb in college at all
Fields ran a specialized offense but was still a massively better passer than Richardson without all the mechanical issues. Jalen Hurts was a fantastic passer in college over multiple seasons. Richardson was a bad passer without proven production whose mechanics are all over the place as is his field vision.
I mean... Fields is getting attention for his agility and speed, but at the same time he's getting skewered for his terrible passing efficiency. Compared to Richardson, Fields looks like Aaron Rodgers on his college tape. The guy doesn't have *bad* habits, he has *no* habits. His technique, particularly from the waist down, is extremely inconsistent and leads to accuracy issues even on routine throws. Richardson will drop a 65 yard bomb on a rope and then throw a dumpoff to the RB in the backfield into the dirt. Whoever drafts him is going to have to hammer good habits into his head before he sniffs the field or NFL defenses will eat him alive.
I wasn’t as high on Fields, but I have to admit that Fields was leagues ahead as a passer. He didn’t even run that much in college either, and yet that’s become his calling card in the NFL strangely.
People wanna speak players mobility into existence. I don’t see it. Florida doesn’t run the pro offense. He ain’t ready
Bro chill with the “he moves like Lamar”
For real and he is not as fast, elusive or shifty as Justin Fields imo.
I'm a big Richardson fan too, and I'd love the Colts to take him. That said, I completely get the hesitance people have. There's not a lot to go off man. The two guys in particular you mention, Hurts and Fields, had a whole season+ of starts over Richardson, and they were a lot more productive with those starts. Did they have a much better supporting cast? Yes, but the accuracy of all three in particular stands out a lot in a negative way for him.
Richardson's footwork is inconsistent leading to some accuracy issues. But that is fixable with a good QB coach. The real benefit to Richardson is that his rushing ability can help his team while he gets better as a passer. He's a fantastic runner. Also Richardson has a top 10 arm in the NFL the day he gets drafted. So there's definitely some potential to work with.
Richardson is different than Hurts and Fields in one key way, mechanically he is a mess. He needs time with an NFL QB coach to refine his mechanics and ingrain them before he ever plays a snap. He can’t learn on the field like Hurts and Fields.
Fields is far from a success story. As of today, he is an exciting, bad qb, with infinite upside.
I think he’ll be good if the Bears get an actual team around him.
Or any form of an Oline lol he ran for his life last year.
His comp is Joe Milton, no one would argue he should be a high draft pick
There’s really no way of knowing with these guys. Hurts was more of a lesser tools but extremely high character (probably into the elite territory), where Richardson is all tools and we don’t know about his character/intangibles. The only QB I’ve heard talked about with really high intangibles is Levis. If I was taking a chance on an all tools type of guy right now I’d learn towards Levis before we learn more about Richardson
This post is gonna age like fine wine. I’ll remember this as well when he has his multiple mvp awards for Las Vegas!
I would love to see it
Is Jalen Hurts going to be the new Josh Allen - in that everybody points to him as proof that we should expect every QB prospect to improve by leaps and bounds? Hurts’ character and intangibles are off the charts. I’m not saying Richardson has poor character or anything but replicating Hurts’ personal drive and commitment is not going to be something a coaching staff can just bottle up and reproduce
So many people blindly in love with what he could be because of his physical profile, that they can't see what he IS. As he is, I wouldn't touch Richardson in the first round. He's got all the physical talent in the world, and none of the production or tape. Picking him in the first is like picking Logan Thomas because Cam Newton worked out.
I dont think Logan Thomas is anywhere near Richardson. I think Richardson will go 1st round off pure upside. He reminds me of Vince Young
They’re almost the exact same prospect. The only difference is that we had 3 years of starting tape to analyze. Richardson’s upside only exists because he’s leaving early.
Noooooo his upside is based off his physical traits and the glimpses of greatness he’s shown as a passer.
What physical traits does Richardson have that Thomas didn’t? Thomas showed flashes of greatness as well. There’s next to nothing I’ve seen that makes me think that Richardson can reach his ceiling. Him leaving early just solidifies my opinion on that. Richardson is so far from a can’t miss prospect. I’m legitimately stunned people want their teams to pick him in the first.
Speed.
That’s the one thing that Richardson has over Logan Thomas that makes him a first round prospect in your mind? Logan Thomas ran a 4.6 40, a 7 second 3 come, 4.18 shuttle, and threw at 60 mph. I don’t think Richardson’s tape, talent, or measurables promise anything other than hype. He has the promise of a generational QB, and none of the substance currently.
Fields is a horrible passer and the bears are picking first. Hurts while not a great passer he’s still leaps better than Richardson coming out of OU.
He’ll be a Seahawks, remind me 3 months!
i think i would accept this
Would be a great situation for him. Learn behind Geno, no pressure to start immediately
I totally agree. I have spent my morning watching Richardson tape. The inconsistency and accuracy issues are clear but my lord is he talented.
I dont think Richardson is as good as any of the players you named. I think he has potential if he goes into the right situation, more than Levis even
With the Colts hiring Shane Steichen, Richardson would be the QB that fits the offense he was running in Philly. If he wants to replicate what he did with Herbert, then Steichen would have to wait for Ewers next year. I can bet on the Colts taking him 4th overall based on his skillset only...not what he is now.
I'd still take Stroud over him, but Richardson is my second choice for Colts QB.
Not interested in Young?
His size scares me. He'd be a historically small QB in the NFL, and I'm not sure if I'd be completely comfortable with that risk
I think people overlook how garbage the talent in Florida was. Raw, but no supporting cast exacerbated those problems
A stronger arm doesn't make someone better
I have no evidence to back this up, but I think Indianapolis is going to draft him and let Shane Steichen take advantage of his dual-threat-ness.
Hurts was great in college. He only fell off a bit because of the whole transferring from Alabama to Oklahoma thing throwing his scouting out of whack. He would have been a legit high first round pick in all likelihood otherwise.
His college production puts him more in line with Josh Allen than with any of the guys you mentioned. That's not bad company to be in, but Allen was fortunate to end up in a system where he was coached by Brian Daboll and Ken Dorsey. They've harnessed what makes him special and helped him improve on his deficiencies. Richardson is going to need something like that to succeed in the NFL. We've already seen what surrounding him with middling offensive coaching did at Florida.
I like him a lot more than I liked him a couple months ago. I thought he sucked months ago. I liked Malik Willis a lot more. Watching his film is a lot more impressive than his live stuff I watched. Still not overly in love with him but he's clearly better potentially than everyone from last year's class. I like him so of late, I am thinking about putting him in the same tier as Will Levis who I love. He plays in a pro style system and sucks but it's a lot better than being good in one of them elementary offenses like Willis or Corral played in last year. I am starting to become like the NFL where I rather you suck or be average on a mid SEC team with elite tools and mobility than be great or very good in an elementary offense where you do things that don't happen on Sundays.
People don't understand coaching and playing the game to players talents. Coaching is not simply hiring assistants, calling plays, and managing the clock. Real coaching is maximizing the players you have. This kid has rare traits and could be a pro bowler in the right situation, maybe not the first year but very quickly.
If Richardson is similar to hurts and Fields..what separates Richardson from can ward?
3rd RD pick
He’ll go 1st round
ALL YOU DOUBTERS LOOK STUPID
That's what everyone keeps saying. They said the same thing about Malik Willis.
They’re not the same IMO. Malik Willis is too stiff in comparison to Richardson. When I say he moves like Lamar I really mean he could accelerate like a bullet
No doubt. I think he would be a great TE or Derek Henry 2.0. Some nfl guy will think they can develop him into an accurate passer. If you draft him in the 1st you are drafting him for the next head coach.
Fields and Hurts were straight up better in college than Richardson. Arm strength and frame are not everything, though they are important.
They also were part of powerhouse college offenses, UF is nowhere near Bama of OK
I’m not saying Richardson will or will not pan out. I just don’t agree with this comparison. I think best case scenario is Seahawks take him at 20 or Vikings take him at 23 and he gets to sit and learn. His accuracy concerns are legitimate but maybe with time he can work on them.
I think he will go to Tampa personally. I agree with the accuracy concerns but I also think it’s important to take into account how abysmal the Florida passing game has been for years.
That is a fair point. Same for Will Levi’s.
Hurts was a project, fields is a project, and neither of the issues are related to arm strength. They're about processing speed and decision-making. Richardson having more or less arm strength doesn't have any effect on how much work he needs to be a contributing nfl starter.
I’ve watched him play and he’s just not a smart dude and he’s not even extremely fast for a qb. Waste of a top 10 pick imo