When is the pro day for Florida QB Anthony Richardson this cycle, and how much does the Gators’ passer stand to gain performing in front of NFL evaluators? Here’s a preview of Richardson’s pro day ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft.
When Is Anthony Richardson’s Pro Day in 2023?
Richardson will appear at the Florida Pro Day, which is set to take place on Thursday, March 30. The pro day will be held on the Gators’ campus and will start at 10 a.m. ET, running through to 12:30 p.m.
You can view the full list of pro day dates here at Pro Football Network.
How To Watch Anthony Richardson’s Pro Day | TV Channel, Start Time
Richardson’s Florida Pro Day will be broadcast live on SEC Network from 10:00 a.m. onward. For NFL draft commentary, you’ll also be able to stream the event through NFL+ starting at 11:30.
A cast including David Carr, Steve Smith, and NFL draft analysts Daniel Jeremiah and Bucky Brooks will provide live coverage and analysis during Richardson’s throwing session.
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In addition to Richardson, Gators prospects such as Justin Shorter, O’Cyrus Torrence, Gervon Dexter, Richard Gouraige, Ventrell Miller, Trey Dean III, and Rashad Torrence II will also be present at the Florida Pro Day.
Anthony Richardson’s Latest Mock Draft Rankings and Projections
Earlier in the cycle, it wasn’t a lock that Richardson would even declare for the 2023 NFL Draft. But as the season went on, Richardson’s high-end natural talent became impossible to deny. Flashes of progression helped build momentum into the offseason, where Richardson has now cemented himself as an early first-round pick.
There are occasionally mock projections where Richardson falls into the teens. But for the most part, Richardson is projected to be a top-10, and often top-five, selection — along with Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud and Alabama’s Bryce Young.
NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah projected Richardson to the Indianapolis Colts in his most recent mock draft and said the following: “Will Levis could easily be the pick here, but Richardson’s unbelievable athleticism would be a fun fit in Shane Steichen’s offense.”
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The Richardson-Steichen marriage has long been proposed as a particularly good fit in the 2023 NFL Draft QB class. Several PFN mocks, including Tommy Garrett’s most recent projection, have Richardson going to Indianapolis as well.
Richardson is most often the third QB selected in mocks, but he’s still in the conversation for the No. 1 overall pick. He’s gone as high as No. 1 to the Panthers and has also been projected to the Houston Texans at No. 2. The consensus view is that Richardson’s rare natural ability will push him up the board and lock him into the first few picks.
What To Watch for at Anthony Richardson’s Pro Day
There are four top-10 QBs who will go to four different teams in April, but all eyes are on Frank Reich, Scott Fitterer, and the Carolina Panthers, who ultimately control the board at No. 1 overall.
The Panthers staff made their rounds last week, attending pro days for Stroud, Young, and Levis. They also had dinner with those QBs, trudging through an arduous but ultimately rewarding information-gathering process. Now, Richardson is the last QB to check off the list.
Through the process, Richardson has been one of the more polarizing high-level QB prospects, but there’s no denying the historic level of talent he possesses. At the NFL Combine, Richardson ran a 4.43 40-yard dash and logged a 40.5″ vertical — a positional record — at a rocked-up 6’4″, 244 pounds.
Richardson can still improve his accuracy and decision-making at times, but he’s flashed the necessary processing ability and poise, and his dual-sided creation capacity and arm talent are a truly generational mix. During a 30-minute news conference on Tuesday, Reich himself acknowledged that Richardson is worth a premier capital investment.
“There are plays and throws all over the tape that scream top pick, top of the draft pick,” Reich said. “That’s a credit to him. I think he has upper-body mechanics that are really solid. Obviously, his completion percentage is lower than you want at this level, but I don’t get too discouraged [about] things like that.”
MORE: The Carolina Panthers’ Draft Plans — C.J. Stroud, Bryce Young, or Anthony Richardson
Reich continued, “I see a lot of upside. Talking to him a little bit at the Combine, you could tell how smart of a guy he is. A guy like that, without totally getting into it, the more experience he gets, he’s a guy that you feel like he’s going to get better fast.”
The Panthers will be able to speak with Richardson and spend time with him more intimately at and after the pro day, but much like Levis last week, the Florida event will also be an opportunity for Richardson to show off his rocket arm.
Richardson’s easy velocity generation alone should awe onlookers. But on top of that, if Richardson can go through a throwing script that forces him to adjust his pace and trajectory, and if he maintains precision through it, it could be an important marker for scouts judging his execution.
It doesn’t outweigh the tape, but all Richardson has to do is prove his talent is worth banking on more than most. He’s well on his way, and his Florida Pro Day could be another step in the right direction.
