One of the doubts about quarterback Anthony Richardson heading into the draft was whether he’s ready to start in the NFL after limited experience as a starter at Florida, but those questions didn’t stop the Colts from taking him with the fourth overall pick.
The Colts have Gardner Minshew on the roster and General Manager Chris Ballard said after Richardson’s selection that they do not “expect him to be Superman from Day One” as a professional. Richardson may not be fitting himself for a cape and tights, but he said that he plans to do everything he can to be ready to step into the lineup as soon as possible.
“I’m going to try to be ready as fast as I can. [I’ll] try to be ready before preseason, try to be ready before the first game,” Richardson said, via the team’s website. “You know, they picked me this high for a reason, so I’m gonna put the work in and make sure I’m ready for the franchise.”
In addition to calling himself a hard worker and willing to learn, Richardson said that he “can do things other QBs can’t do” and that athletic ability is why he was able to go so high despite the doubts caused by his inexperience. If that ability translates to success in training camp and the preseason, it won’t be easy for the team to resist letting him learn on the job.
