Now that Anthony Richardson has hit the practice field for the Indianapolis Colts, the rookie quarterback is reportedly impressing coaches with his skills.
Throughout the pre-draft process, Anthony Richardson was called raw and a project quarterback. His high ceiling as a prospect was undeniable but several scouts were concerned with his lack of experience and throwing inconsistencies. However, he still was drafted fourth-overall by the Indianapolis Colts.
After the Colts selected Richardson, general manager Chris Ballard had a ton of paise for the young QB, but was honest about the fact that Indy drafted Richardson for what he could be, not necessarily what he is at the moment, and that things could be rough early. That’s typically the case with the majority of draft picks and their transition to the NFL.
However, now that Richardson has suited up and hit the practice field for Indy, early reports are that he’s further along than everyone thought. George Bremer, Colts beat writer for the Herald Bulletin, explained that in a recent piece:
"Richardson’s not quite as raw as he’s sometimes been portrayed. The Colts have been impressed by his pocket awareness in particular, and he showed off some of his high-level play-making ability even during the brief rookie mini-camp."George Bremer
AR → JD pic.twitter.com/eWNegxyJJO
— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) May 5, 2023
Anthony Richardson is impressing Colts
It’s obviously still early, as the team isn’t even in pads yet, but this is certainly good news, and news that Richardson’s supporters can certainly believe. Throughout the pre-draft process, while some people were being highly critical of Richardson as a passer, others were diving into the tape and arguing that his throwing issues had been highly exaggerated.
One of the common praises that Richardson did receive is that his pocket presence was elite. Several analysts and reporters highlighted how Richardson naturally navigated the pocket at Florida in a way that was far beyond his experience. It’s great to see that skill is translating early.
Richardson, of course, will have to keep this up and steadily improve as things are only going to get harder. Once training camp arrives, then the preseason, and eventually the regular season, tougher challenges will be thrown at Anthony Richardson, and it will be fun to see how he handles them.