The start of the NFL’s 105th season is just around the corner and with the professional pigskin kicking off, the Gator Nation will be keeping its eye on Florida football alumni competing among the best players on the planet.
The most talented product out of Gainesville in recent memory is quarterback [autotag]Anthony Richardson[/autotag], who was taken with the fourth overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft by the Indianapolis Colts based sheerly on his other-worldly athleticism. The hometown hero sprained the AC joint in his right shoulder during his rookie campaign, which required season-ending surgery.
Richardson finished the season with 577 passing yards, three touchdowns and one interception while completing 59.5% of his throws. The former Gator ran for 136 yards while finding the endzone four times on foot.
“I thought when he played, he was explosive and he was electric,” Colts head coach Shane Steichen said last year. “He gives us an opportunity every time he steps on the field — just his big-play ability, throwing the ball downfield, the runs he had, the touchdown runs. There is tremendous opportunity going forward.”
Expectations for Richardson this season
CBS Sports’ Jared Dubin published his list of breakout players for every team for the 2024-25 campaign, with Richardson earning the nod for the Colts.
“Richardson showcased his outrageous skill set during the few opportunities he got on the field last season,” Dubin offers. “Colts coach Shane Steichen has shown a consistent ability to milk every ounce of talent out of his quarterbacks, and Richardson may be the most physically talented quarterback he’s ever had.”
Richardson expected to be a legit star
Dubin’s colleague, CBS Sports writer Chris Trapasso, also singled out Richardson last month as a player he expects to become a “legitimate star” this fall.
“Richardson is indisputably in the top tier of athletic specimens at the quarterback position today,” he begins. “In fact, he’s probably the most naturally gifted quarterback in football. Which is really saying something. Now, of course, the passing element has to come close to matching said athletic prowess for him to ultimately succeed in the NFL.”
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