Quote: @"Geoff Nichols" said:
I've watched a lot of Richardson and think he is worth taking anywhere outside of the top-5. Sure, there is a lot of inconsistency to his game but if you look at arm talent, size, and athletic ability he does what a lot of NFL QBs can't do. That is worth something. Accuracy is the common concern but he has some Josh Allen to that. Allen struggled with accuracy because of his base and his inability to layer the ball (E.G threw everything on a line). Richardson, same problem. He lives on his arm too much and will sacrifice resetting. That doesn't mean he will improve, but there is at least a chance. On the field he processes' surprisingly quickly and some of his flashes moving in the pocket are insane.
There is a lot of bad/unknown. But if you just take draft range and look at say Kenny Pickett a year ago and Richardson, the floors are very different. You're talking serviceable low-end starter (Pickett) vs straight-up unplayable (Richardson). But speaking upside Pickett is a good top 15ish QB. Richardson if he hits his ceiling easily is a top 10 QB with the potential to go higher. Albeit I don't see much of a middle ground.
I would sacrifice a few percentage points of accuracy for mobility. I think extending plays and not having to take quick check downs or throw aways and sacks will make up for a missed throw a couple times a game, as long as the kid learns where to miss at so they don't become interceptions. Again, not looking for a running QB, just somebody that can make people miss and move out of the pocket while looking down field. The actual rush yardage isn't import, just the threat that you will take those yards if the D isn't playing honest.
Oh please no, that would be a huge mistake.
Quote: @pattersaur said:
@ Bullazin said:
saw a mock with him #1 yesterday Mcshay i think
https://www.gatorsports.com/story/footba...912654007/
This list of about 20 "experts" has him going anywhere from 3-29. Carolina is the most popular destination, either at #9 or via a trade up. Carolina makes a lot of sense. Defense that's good enough, no QB, a new HC whose rep says he's good at molding QBs, and an owner who probably regrets passing on Justin Fields.
If he can read a defense and go through progressions, he should become elite
Looking at Josh Allen's college stats, he was a career 56.2% passer whose bad throwing mechanics got fixed AFTER he went to the NFL.
Josh Allen's college stat line:
![]() https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/pi/shareit/PpBTT
Looking at Richardson's highlight reel, you can see similarities to Allen with his running, but he's got uncanny speed. Especially as he outruns DBs...or just runs through them.
I realize that highlight reels are exactly that...they never show the lowlights :-)
But it does make one think that having that dual threat (that Cousins does not possess, even though I am a supporter of Cousins), makes me think "what if" he was available at #23, and we parked him for one or two years behind Cousins and coach up his mechanics a bit. I say pull the trigger.
I could easily be a believer.
Quote: @Montana Tom said:
Looking at Josh Allen's college stats, he was a career 56.2% passer whose bad throwing mechanics got fixed AFTER he went to the NFL.
Josh Allen's college stat line:
![]() https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/pi/shareit/PpBTT
Looking at Richardson's highlight reel, you can see similarities to Allen with his running, but he's got uncanny speed. Especially as he outruns DBs...or just runs through them.
I realize that highlight reels are exactly that...they never show the lowlights :-)
But it does make one think that having that dual threat (that Cousins does not possess, even though I am a supporter of Cousins), makes me think "what if" he was available at #23, and we parked him for one or two years behind Cousins and coach up his mechanics a bit. I say pull the trigger.
I could easily be a believer.
At 23 sure. But how much would you give up to move up to say 10 or 12 of he were to drop?
Quote: @JimmyinSD said:
@ Montana Tom said:
Looking at Josh Allen's college stats, he was a career 56.2% passer whose bad throwing mechanics got fixed AFTER he went to the NFL.
Josh Allen's college stat line:
![]() https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/pi/shareit/PpBTT
Looking at Richardson's highlight reel, you can see similarities to Allen with his running, but he's got uncanny speed. Especially as he outruns DBs...or just runs through them.
I realize that highlight reels are exactly that...they never show the lowlights :-)
But it does make one think that having that dual threat (that Cousins does not possess, even though I am a supporter of Cousins), makes me think "what if" he was available at #23, and we parked him for one or two years behind Cousins and coach up his mechanics a bit. I say pull the trigger.
I could easily be a believer.
At 23 sure. But how much would you give up to move up to say 10 or 12 of he were to drop?
I don't think I would move up to grab him. He is much more of a project than some of the other QBs. I think Young, Stroud for sure will go in the top 10, and maybe even Levis and Hooker will go higher than Richardson.
With only 4 picks in the draft (before we trade Cook and/or??), I'm a tad torn between this prospect and the Gopher's Center...who will be far cheaper than re-signing Bradbury, and who appears to have a higher ceiling than Bradbury.
At the end of the day, I look at this year's draft this way: We have Cine and Booth hopefully ready to go and contribute. We got Hockenson out of this year (okay, we mortgaged a few). I think those three will all contribute (obviously Hockenson) this year, in addition to whatever we pull out of this year's draft. So we currently have four picks plus three pretty solid (I hope) contributors already in the fold.
Now the guy I would consider moving up for: Hendon Hooker from Tennessee. Same prototypical size as Richardson, but more of a finished product (and less risk). 69.2% completion avg. 27 TDs vs 2 picks. Not as fast or shifty as Richardson on the ground, but definitely fast and a powerful runner if he has to. Richardson currently has to rely on his feet. Honestly, I think Hooker has a higher ceiling than Bryce Young, even though Young will go in the first two picks. And in the highly unlikely situation that he could be available and we draft him, I'd still say let him sit for a year behind Cousins. To me, he projects better in the NFL than Justin Herbert.
I would consider trading Cook and our 23 to someone much higher (10-12) to pick up Hooker, and open up some cap space.
Quote: @Montana Tom said:
Now the guy I would consider moving up for: Hendon Hooker from Tennessee. Same prototypical size as Richardson, but more of a finished product (and less risk). 69.2% completion avg. 27 TDs vs 2 picks. Not as fast or shifty as Richardson on the ground, but definitely fast and a powerful runner if he has to. Richardson currently has to rely on his feet. Honestly, I think Hooker has a higher ceiling than Bryce Young, even though Young will go in the first two picks. And in the highly unlikely situation that he could be available and we draft him, I'd still say let him sit for a year behind Cousins. To me, he projects better in the NFL than Justin Herbert.
I would consider trading Cook and our 23 to someone much higher (10-12) to pick up Hooker, and open up some cap space.
I dont see cook having much trade value. Teams can wait until he is cut and likely work a better deal on their own, otherwise there will be plenty of other decent RBs in FA and the draft.
Josh Allen went at 7. To get that high (and I suspect Richardson will go that high after he blows up the combine running around in shorts) from 23 the Vikings would have to give up #23, their '24 1st, and their '24 2nd. At least. Not happening. Even Justin Fields cost the Bears the next years' 1st, and that was just to move from 20 to 11.
The only way we make a big move for a QB is if we trade Kirk first as he's the only source of enough draft capital to make it feasible without "going full Rams" and leaving us nearly pickless for multiple years. With no 2nd this year, #23 plus our 3rd would get us to maybe #18.
Richardson is intriguing just on his physical profile alone... He's basically a faster version of Josh Allen when he came out. But Josh Allen had 25 starts compared to 13 for Richardson.
I just don't know if Richardson is going to go as high as Josh Allen did. Less film to evaluate, he needs a lot of work/development as a passer (just like Josh Allen), and he's probably got the lowest floor of any QB in this draft.
Lamar Jackson isn't as big but was a better passer and had the same rushing ability to go with a lot more starts. He went 32. Jalen Hurts brings that same dual threat ability, started for Alabama and Oklahoma and went in the 2nd round... Malik Willis went in the 3rd or 4th round. And these are just guys from the last couple drafts. Josh Allen was an outlier.
I think it's going to depend on how he interviews, but right now I think Young, Stroud, and Levis will all go before he does. If that happens, I don't see him going top 20 let alone in the top 7 picks.
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