Seahawks GM John Schneider Shares Evaluation of Anthony Richardson After Pro Day
The Seattle Seahawks met expectations on Thursday.
Attending the Pro Day of top-tier quarterback prospect Anthony Richardson in Florida, coach Pete Carroll, general manager John Schneider and the rest of the gang took a group selfie with the projected top-10 pick, keeping true to the theme of taking selfies with some of the best signal-callers in this year's draft class.
But did Richardson meet their expectations? Schneider weighed in ...
“He was really impressive,” Schneider said Thursday on Seattle Sports 710. “Great athlete, great young man. He has a ton of physical talent, no question about it. ... He did a great job. He had fun, he was loose and he had a good time with his teammates.”
The Seahawks have been making it quite clear at this point that, despite inking Pro Bowl quarterback Geno Smith to a new deal, drafting a signal-caller at the No. 5 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft is a very real possibility.
And out of the top-four quarterbacks in this year's draft, one could argue that Richardson has been the one the Seahawks have connected with most throughout the pre-draft process.
"(Carroll) had this big smile on his face," Richardson said of his NFL Combine visit with Seattle per a March 6 report from ESPN. "We shook hands, and something about it was just different. You only see these guys on TV. And now I'm in their presence and they're right there talking to me. And they're interested in me. That makes you feel good."
At the end of the 2022 season, snagging Richardson at No. 5 would've seemed like a major reach for the Seahawks. Now, there's danger that he might be off the board before their first pick.
Still, Schneider admitted that "there's definitely questions" surrounding Richardson, though at this point, it's hard to imagine that the Seahawks would pass on him if he's still available at No. 5.
"There’s definitely questions there, like there are with all these guys," Schneider said. "He’s 6-6 as a starter. New staff this past year with Coach (Billy) Napier."
But Richardson himself acknowledged his own inconsistencies, realizing that it won't get him far in the NFL.
"At times I was very inconsistent throughout the season," he said, per NFL. "So I'm just trying to put that behind me and stay consistent cause I know inconsistency is not gonna work at the next level."
The dual-threat stud went 176 of 327 passing for 2,549 yards, 17 touchdowns and nine interceptions this past season. He added 103 carries for 654 yards and nine touchdowns. The stats leave more to be desired, while turnovers and overall efficiency will be the focus of improvement. But he's set to be a rookie for a reason.
However, the Seahawks are clearly enamored with Richardson, and he proved himself even further on Thursday.
You can follow Zach Dimmitt on Twitter at @ZachDimmitt7
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