After excelling at the NFL combine, Florida QB Anthony Richardson is now among the betting favorites for the No. 1 pick

By Waseem Akram On Mar 5, 2023

Anthony Richardson is turning heads at the NFL combine and the curious have taken notice.

The Florida quarterback posted two meet records for his state Saturday with a 40.5-inch vertical jump and a 10-foot, 9-inch broad jump. He also ran a blistering 4.43 40-yard dash.

At 6-foot-4 and 244 pounds, Richardson is an elite athlete. Anyone who watched him play in the SEC knows that. And now there are rumors that he is being considered for the No. 1 pick in the upcoming NFL draft.

On Saturday afternoon, Richardson made a big climb up the odds table for BetMGM’s No. 1 pick. Richardson is currently listed at +300, behind only Alabama quarterback Bryce Young (-185).

Richardson showed flashes of brilliance but was inconsistent as a starter for the Gators in 2022. Regardless, his chances of being the first pick have increased significantly.

Richardson was a backup at Florida in 2021 as a redshirt freshman but still burst onto the scene in the college football world by making highlight reel plays whenever he saw the field . Many of those plays came with his feet and questions about his ability as a passer continued.

When he took over the starting role in 2022, Richardson had a stellar Week 1 performance in a win over Utah. A week later, Richardson struggled in a home loss to Kentucky. It was a sign of things to come. Richardson had some fantastic moments throughout the season, but often struggled with accuracy and decision-making in the passing game.

He finished the season with 2,549 yards, 17 touchdowns and nine interceptions while completing just 53.8% of his attempts. He also rushed for 654 yards and nine scores.

Only a redshirt sophomore, Richardson decided to declare for the NFL Draft even with quarterback prospects like Young, Ohio State’s CJ Stroud and Kentucky’s Will Levis also entering the draft.

It’s easy to be mesmerized by Richardson’s talent. The Chicago Bears currently have the No. 1 pick but are reportedly open to trading out of that spot. The Bears have Justin Fields at quarterback and plenty of needs elsewhere on their depth chart. They would get a bounty of picks from a quarterback-needy team.

Could one of those teams ultimately decide that Richardson is worth the risk?

Option for the No. 1 overall pick:

Alabama QB Bryce Young: -185
Florida QB Anthony Richardson: +300
Ohio State QB CJ Stroud: +500
Kentucky QB Will Lewis: +900
Alabama LB Will Anderson: +1400
Texas Tech EDGE Tyree Wilson: +2000
Georgia DL Jalen Carter: +3500
Clemson DE Myles Murphy: +10000