The one QB in the 2023 draft class that nobody can agree on

Anthony Richardson. George Walker IV / Tennessean.com / USA TODAY NETWORK

The one quarterback in the 2023 draft class that nobody can agree on

By Adam Gretz | Last updated 2/24/23

Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson is the most intriguing quarterback in the 2023 draft class simply because nobody can seem to agree on what his upside is or where he should be picked in April.

ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay called him the most talented quarterback in the draft earlier this week, and all of that ability will certainly give him a ton of upside at the next level.

But despite all of that talent and upside, teams seem to have a wide range of opinions on what his value is in April.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler said this week that he can't remember a bigger variance in what NFL teams think of a quarterback prospect, with his draft grades reportedly falling somewhere between the first and fourth rounds.

Massive ability, but some front offices are legitimately torn on where he should be drafted. https://t.co/gPkwXMenep
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) February 24, 2023

There is a massive difference between those two grades and what it would mean for Richardson.

If he goes in the first round, that means a team sees him as a potential starting quarterback, perhaps even right away, and he will not only get a significantly larger initial payday but also a significantly longer leash when it comes to his development.

A fourth-round quarterback not only does not get that grace period to develop, but they also are not typically viewed as a potential starter. At least not right away.

Despite that reported variance in team grades, it only takes one quarterback-needy team to make the call. And there are enough quarterback-needy teams in the NFL right now, especially toward the back end of the top 10 and middle of the first round. It would be a significant upset if he did not go early in the draft.

The biggest knock on Richardson at this point is that he has so little experience as a starter, playing just one full season as the Gators' starting quarterback. He also struggled with his accuracy, completing only 54.7 percent of his passes in his college career (and only 53.7 percent in his final year at Florida). That lack of experience and lack of accuracy is typically red flags for young quarterbacks. But he is so talented that it makes it easy for teams to dream and project.

The team that ends up selecting him needs to be prepared to have some patience, while also having the right coaching staff in place to maximize his ability.

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