Florida Gators quarterback Anthony Richardson is viewed as the most physically-gifted player in the 2023 NFL Draft class. While Richardson will be a top-10 pick thanks to his physical tools, the 6-foot-4 passer is also generating a lot of buzz for his intangibles.
As part of the pre-draft process, quarterbacks prepare for their Pro Day, the NFL Scouting Combine and the S2 Cognitive Test. The S2 cognition test helps gauge a person’s cognitive skills, scoring them on things like instinctive learning, decision complexity, distraction control and improvisation.
Related: Anthony Richardson scouting report
Richardson, along with his fellow top quarterback prospects, took the S2 test this offseason. While Alabama quarterback Bryce Young scored the highest, putting himself in historic company, the former Gators’ star also checked off an important box for NFL teams.
According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston, Richardson excelled in the S2 cognitive testing with one unidentified league source describing the performance as “knocking it out of the park.”. While a specific score wasn’t provided and he didn’t surpass Young’s total, Richardson’s score clearly left a strong impression on teams.
Related: 3 reasons why the Detroit Lions should go all-in for Anthony Richardson
It further highlights why Richardson is one of the biggest risers in the 2023 NFL Draft class. While he didn’t provide consistent production at Florida, many believe he’ll have a far brighter future in the NFL.
- Anthony Richardson stats (2022): 2,549 pass yards, 131 QB rating, 17-9 TD-INT, 53.8% completion rate, 654 rushing yards, 9 rushing touchdowns
In addition to posting one of the highest S2 scores and delivering a record-setting performance at the 2023 NFL Combine, Richardson also has strong reviews from the Gators’ football program.
Florida coaches, players raved about Anthony Richardson
Heading into the NFL, Richardson’s background should provide teams with added confidence that he can reach his potential. Before he arrived in Gainesville, Richardson was training to become a firefighter. Even after he committed to football, Richardson always focused on using his time away from the field to learn as much as he could and work relentlessly.
Richardson was a member of the honor roll at Eastside High School in Florida and he maintained that level of academic success at Florida. As the 6-foot-4 quarterback made plays on the field, he also earned a spot on the SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll.
Related: NFL teams share similar hesitation with Anthony Richardson
Months before Richardson became a rising star who NFL scouts wanted to see, the 20-year-old was making a strong impression on his new head coach Billy Napier early in the 2022 season.
In an interview with On3.com before the season, Napier specifically cited Richardson’s work ethic and focus as two of his best traits.
“He’s thinking about probably the six or eight plays where he could have done a little bit better. That’s what I love about him. He’s very critical of himself. He’s an unbelievable competitor. We all know that kid’s got physical talent – we’ve known that for a long time – but what’s impressed me is his work ethic, discipline, his detail. He’s a good teammate, he’s a great example. He’s selfless.”
Billy Napier on quarterback Anthony Richardson in September
The work ethic is especially important for NFL teams. Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen is one of the rare examples of a player whose accuracy issues in college improved in the NFL. It’s a credit to Allen’s commitment to improving and a willingness to absorb all the instructions his coaches provided. Based on the feedback for Richardson, he can follow that same path.
Richardson also received significant praise from his teammates at Florida for his leadership long before the 2022 season.
“He’s the guy. He’s kind of doing the same things. Just leading through his ability and also leading with his vocals. He’s always been (that way). I’ve never not heard Anthony try to lead. He’s always been a leader.”
Florida Gators defensive tackle Gervon Dexter on quarterback Anthony Richardson’s leaderhsip
Drawing comparisons to Allen and Cam Newton puts pressure on Richardson’s shoulders, especially if he is a top-five pick and is pushed into a starting job. However, the physical skills seem to be matched with the intangibles that can make Richardson a great player at the next level.
