GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Gators quarterback Anthony Richardson’s improbable rise from first-year starter to first-round draft pick concluded Thursday night when the Indianapolis Colts selected Richardson with the fourth overall pick of the NFL Draft.
Richardson is the highest-drafted Gators quarterback since San Francisco selected Heisman Trophy winner Steve Spurrier third overall 56 years ago. He is the fifth UF quarterback selected in the first round, and first since Tim Tebow in 2010. It marks the second time in the last three drafts that a Gator was selected fourth overall. Tight end Kyle Pitts went fourth to the Falcons in 2021.
Richardson traveled to the draft eager for his introduction to a national audience — and with a personal goal written on the inside of his suit jacket.
“I want to be a legend” was the phrase he chose.
A product of Gainesville’s Eastside High, Richardson signed with the Gators in December 2019 as a mid-year enrollee. He played behind Kyle Trask as a freshman, Emory Jones as redshirt freshman, and finally took over as UF’s starter as a third-year sophomore. Richardson’s athleticism and arm strength wowed fans and opponents, and after a 6-6 regular season, Richardson opted to skip the Las Vegas Bowl and enter the draft.
He made a wise choice as Thursday night proved when NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell called his name on a stage in Kansas City.
Richardson started 13 games at Florida, 12 of those coming last season. In 24 career games with the Gators, Richardson completed 215 of 393 passes (54.7 percent) for 3,105 yards, 24 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. He added 12 rushing scores to go along with 1,116 yards on 161 rushing attempts (6.9 per carry).
As a third-year sophomore in 2022, Richardson passed for 2,549 yards with 17 touchdowns and nine interceptions, while rushing for 654 yards and nine scores. He declared for the NFL Draft following the regular season and began to rise in the draft rankings with an eye-popping performance in February at the NFL Combine, where Richardson broke quarterback records for the vertical jump and broad jump, and ran a 4.43 40-yard dash at a listed 6-foot-4, 244 pounds.
Richardson is the ninth UF quarterback selected in the common draft era (since 1967), joining Spurrier (first round, 1967), John Reaves (first round, 1972), Kerwin Bell (seventh round, 1988), Danny Wuerffel (fourth round, 1997), Jesse Palmer (fourth round, 2001),…
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