Representatives from NFL groups attended the Florida seasoned day on Thursday, in which quarterback prospect Anthony Richardson crammed the skies with deep and intermediate passes that verified the prospect`s fantastic arm electricity and athleticism. Richardson, NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah’s No. 10 general prospect withinside the 2023 NFL Draft, become the headliner, however it wasn’t the best occasion that had groups’ attention. Evaluators traveled to peer capability first-spherical possibilities at Tennessee and TCU seasoned days, as well.
Here are 5 takeaways from the day’s activities.
Anthony Richardson places on every other aerial display. Four weeks ago, Richardson placed on a exhibit overall performance on the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine, leaving Indianapolis because the buzziest quarterback on this year’s draft. On Thursday, Richardson had the QB level all to himself on the Gators’ seasoned day.
Richardson’s throwing overall performance become plenty of what humans expected — first-rate arm expertise flashing from a bodily blessed human being — however additionally some surprises.
What We Learned from Pro Days of Florida, TCU, and Tennessee for the 2023 NFL Draft
First, the tempo and experience become very comfortable to begin. (Richardson even warmed up in his socks earlier than starting.) His early throws have been loosy-goosy, and it best picked up depth in the direction of the cease of the session. Richardson confirmed off his arm electricity with the aid of using rocketing a ball off the roof of the Condron Family Indoor Practice Facility, which reputedly is the brand new issue now after Alabama‘s Bryce Young and Kentucky’s Will Levis did in addition at their seasoned days ultimate week.
Richardson’s very last toss become what all and sundry desired to peer: a almost 70-backyard throw throughout his body — and throughout the field — on the right track to wideout Justin Shorter. Then Richardson, positioned a cherry on pinnacle with this laughably athletic display, a roundoff lower back tuck (or so I am told):
“I honestly had fun,” Richardson stated. “Anytime there`s a soccer in my hands, it is fun.”
No surprise: Richardson’s throwing script blanketed greater vertical pictures than the ones of the previous QB seasoned days, even greater so than Levis, who possesses similar arm strength.
The ease with which Richardson can release balls downfield absolutely stands out. As Jeremiah stated in the course of the NFL+ broadcast, “It does appear to be he is throwing a Nerf ball out there.”
To Richardson, this turned into all-herbal stuff he turned into showcasing.
“Honestly, the off-platform stuff, I do not actually paintings on that,” he stated. “I do it occasionally in the course of schooling and my running shoes are like, ‘Whoa — do this again. What turned into that?’ I’m like, ‘That feels normal.’ I used to do it withinside the outdoor with my friends, spinning round and tossing the ball up withinside the air.
“So I’m simply looking to put into effect that a bit bit in my seasoned day, and simply show off my arm talent. That turned into the primary focus.”
But NFL Network‘s Steve Smith additionally stated that on Richardson’s shorter routes that he tended to throw a few too difficult and on a line.
“All those fireballs he is throwing from 5 yards away? He desires to reveal a few touch,” Smith stated on Thursday’s NFL+ stay stream.
All of Richardson’s abilties have been on show in Gainesville. His throwing mechanics — particularly with the decrease 1/2 of of his body — have been in most cases advanced from what he placed on tape in thirteen university starts. But we additionally do not have too many greater solutions approximately a number of his developmental shortcomings and what which means for his NFL forecast. Richardson appears to apprehend this.
“At instances I turned into very inconsistent for the duration of the season, so I’m simply looking to placed that at the back of me and live regular due to the fact I recognise inconsistency isn’t always going to paintings at the subsequent level,” he stated.
Which crew will pounce on Richardson? Now all 4 of the predicted Round 1 quarterbacks have finished their seasoned days. The Carolina Panthers technically must have the majority of statistics they`ll want to decide on which quarterback they will choose with the primary typical pick — or whether or not they will grow to be maintaining it.
But assuming the Panthers live at No. 1, the choice may basically boil right all the way down to them choosing a extra ready-made expertise (C.J. Stroud or Young) as opposed to the higher-upside, extra tantalizing alternative in the back of Door No. 2 (Richardson or Levis). Which begs the question: Can the Panthers probable take that huge a hazard on a extra unrefined expertise who has a danger to be great? And: What flaws can they stay with?
“One of the matters with Anthony Richardson is the athleticism, is the what-if,” Smith stated on NFL+ as Richardson threw. “No one desires to be called the fellow who surpassed on Tesla or Amazon (stock).”
Richardson believes he can paintings via his troubles to attain his height eventually. His inconsistent tape and a 53% university crowning glory fee are huge hang-ups now.
“I placed a whole lot of strain on myself due to the fact I need to be super — I need to be the nice withinside the world,” Richardson stated. “I realize I will in no way be perfect, however I attempt to paintings toward perfection. And if I`m now no longer running toward that, I get in my head a bit bit.
“Well, I used to. But then I began out to recognize I can not manipulate everything. I can handiest attention on my task and attention on what I’m capable of do. So simply running on that and placing that at the back of me has permit me end up a higher participant.”
But Smith and Jeremiah each stated they could not pull the cause on Richardson at one. If Carolina does byskip on Richardson, possibly the Raiders — who select out at No. 7 overall — are the following crew to watch. NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero suggested Thursday morning that Las Vegas met with Richardson for dinner on Wednesday and has achieved great paintings at the complete quarterback group, even after signing Jimmy Garoppolo, probably given the veteran’s age and harm history.
Every crew running on Richardson and the quarterbacks will make certain to speak to as many teammates and body of workers participants as they could to get a higher photograph of the prospect. If the Raiders spoke with Florida protect O`Cyrus Torrence, they probably heard a sparkling assessment of his quarterback from final season. Torrence spoke with Pelissero and extolled the virtues of Richardson as a participant and as a man.
Torrence offers his pitch on why he`s the draft’s pleasant indoors lineman. A less-mentioned Gators prospect, Torrence ought to be a part of RIchardson in Round 1 come April. The Florida guard, an All-American for the Gators final season, has been at the upward thrust considering that shifting from Louisiana final yr as a mauling, hulking indoors blocker. (In a pleasing touch, Torrence even gave a nod to his former college through carrying one cleat with every of his colleges’ colors.)
According to Pelissero, Torrence had dinner with the Titans on Wednesday night time and conferences round seasoned day this week with the Rams, Falcons and Saints.
The 6-foot-5, 336-pound Torrence isn’t regarded for his athleticism, delivering so-so checking out numbers on the integrate and reportedly jogging a 8.13-2d three-cone drill, which could positioned him withinside the backside twentieth percentile for that workout. But following a robust season withinside the SEC and a first-class overall performance on the Senior Bowl, Torrence figures to be a pinnacle-50 choice at worst.
Torrence, however, bought himself as one of the excellent gamers at his function on this draft class. As for why he ought to be the pinnacle lineman drafted, he advised Pelissero: “Because I`m the maximum dominant indoors offensive lineman withinside the draft, and I sense like every group that receives me gets a Day 1 starter and a person who is prepared to play. Somebody who’s going to take it like a seasoned and provide all of it you got.”
Hendon Hooker updates popularity of knee injury; exceptionally offers a small pattern of throws. Yes, the Tennessee QB prospect “threw” the soccer on the Volunteers` seasoned day. But it wasn’t the sort of throwing so one can extrade NFL scouts’ minds.
Hooker, who suffered a torn ACL in his left knee returned closing Nov. 20, turned into handy for Thursday’s audition for scouts and helped heat up the Vols’ receivers with some mild tosses to begin the day, carrying a protracted sleeve on his left leg. This turned into now no longer something near a scripted display, however being that it turned into approximately 4 months eliminated from surgery, it turned into an amazing signal that Hooker is properly on his manner to recovery.
“It felt good,” Hooker instructed NFL Network’s Omar Ruiz on NFL NOW. “These beyond weeks of throwing and getting returned into my movement feels excellent. I simply desired to pop out right here and get free a bit bit with my guys.”
Hooker discovered that on Monday he met together along with his surgeon, Dr. Neil ElAttrache, who gave him a effective replace at the fitness of the knee, and that Hooker’s plan stays being prepared for the begin of education camp.
“Still in advance of schedule,” Hooker stated. “We will keep to take it day with the aid of using day.”
There has been a few first-spherical buzz on Hooker, even though that is probably a piece wealthy for a 25-year-antique passer with an damage concern. Still, there`s heavy hobby from across the NFL, and a Day 2 touchdown spot would not be stunning in any respect for groups that could view him as extra of a 2024 beginning option.
Asked if he thinks he can compete for a beginning task as a rookie, Hooker stated his first goal is ensuring his knee is 100%.
“I’m simply looking to get as wholesome as possible,” Hooker stated. “That’ll assist me longevity-wise. I simply need to return back in, be a sponge and research as an awful lot as I can from all people withinside the building.”
TCU QB-WR tandem provide combined results. Wideout Quentin Johnston ran forty-backyard dashes on the Horned Frogs` seasoned day Thursday, clocking unofficial instances of 4.forty nine and 4.fifty one seconds, in keeping with NFL Network’s Jane Slater.
The 6-foot-3, 208-pound Johnston opted to pass the forty on the NFL Scouting Combine, acting the excessive and wide jumps there, in addition to receiver drills. Johnston’s velocity have been offered as one in every of his strengths, so it changed into crucial NFL scouts obtained a few robust readability on that range on the seasoned day.
However, it changed into now no longer a super day for Johnston, a probable first-spherical select out and Jeremiah’s No. 29 universal prospect. After a strong begin catching the ball for the duration of QB Max Duggan’s throwing session, Johnston had some overdue stumbles.
Following the red-region period, Duggan wrapped up his script with a few vertical routes — his uniqueness as a passer in college. Most of Duggan`s throws have been stable throughout this part of the workout, despite the fact that his receivers allow him down.
Johnston dropped deep passes, inclusive of what became alleged to be the very last throw of the script, slapping a blocking off pad out of frustration after the second one one. Duggan certainly tacked on 4 extra throws to his deliberate script on the inspiration of his non-public QB educate, Jordan Palmer, now no longer trying to quit their day on again-to-again drops.
The 6-1, 207-pound Duggan is taken into consideration a likely Day three pick. His experience, leadership, athleticism and deep-ball contact all are plusses, despite the fact that his accuracy will harm him on draft weekend. Two off-goal throws Duggan made on shorter routes required Johnston to attain out of his body to catch.
All in all, it became a effective day for the TCU tandem. But additionally they each left a few meat at the pro-day bone, in an effort to speak. Among the ones accessible to look at have been Giants head educate Brian Daboll and popular supervisor Joe Schoen, Patriots head educate Bill Belichick and Texans GM Nick Caserio.
“He’s a super participant,” Torrence stated. “He made my time right here even greater fun than what I had at the beginning concept due to him being my quarterback. Like, understanding he is withinside the backfield something loopy would possibly happen. Like he would possibly see a hollow and take it 50 yards. It came about some times. Him being my quarterback made my task a bit bit easier, honestly. …
“Him as person, the manner he procedures everything, his leadership, the manner the machine modified whilst the brand new training body of workers got here in … however he became one of the ones that did not complain. He did not query something. He simply commonplace the procedure and took the lead and led the crew.”
