Surprising prospect now the favorite to be third pick in NFL Draft
While the Arizona Cardinals own the third overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, there's reason to believe another team will hold it when commissioner Roger Goodell announces the selection.
According to OddsChecker, Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson has overtaken Alabama linebacker Will Anderson Jr. as the favorite to be drafted No. 3 overall at +110 odds. Considering Kyler Murray is Arizona's franchise QB, it'll trade the pick if the oddsmakers' prediction holds true.
The question is, which team will bid for it?
The Colts, who have the fourth pick, appear to be the most likely candidates. They're the current favorites to select Richardson (+200) and are desperate to find their long-term QB. Unless a bidding war with a team seeking to jump them breaks out, the Colts won't have to give up too much for the No. 3 pick.
On the heels of Indianapolis is Tennessee, with the second-shortest odds to land Richardson (+300), followed by Seattle (+550).
Tennessee is interested in Richardson, as he'll be taking a top-30 visit in April. However, he'll probably be off the board by the time Tennessee is on the clock (pick 11), and it'd require a haul to trade up. With plenty of holes on its roster, mortgaging the future for Richardson might not be the wisest decision.
An inter-division trade might seem unlikely, but acquiring a rival's draft picks isn't an awful idea, especially if Arizona doesn't think highly of Richardson. Seattle has the No. 5 and 20 overall selections, and GM John Schneider continues to rave about Richardson's character and talent.
Chances are, Arizona would still be able to draft its preferred target if it moves down to the fifth pick.
As Richardson's odds have been shifting throughout the offseason, it's no surprise they stand where they do. Despite his red flags, he's been one of the biggest risers during the predraft process after impressing both on the field and off at the NFL Scouting Combine.
At his pro day on Thursday, the 20-year-old continued his impressive string of workouts but had one throw that perfectly sums up his skill set: strong arm, questionable accuracy.
Even so, teams won't dwell on the throw's outcome since NFL stadiums don't have roofs as low as Florida's indoor practice facility. Instead, they'll focus on the effortless strike that capped off his session, which traveled at least 70 yards through the air.
Last season, the 6-foot-4, 244-pound prospect completed 53.8% of his passes, throwing for 2,549 yards and 17 touchdowns while adding 654 yards and nine scores on the ground.
Regardless of whether he ends up being a top-three draft pick, Richardson needs time and a favorable situation to realize his full potential.
For more on Richardson, check out his draft analysis here, written by Yardbarker's Drae Harris, an ex-NFL scout.
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