It's no secret the Seattle Seahawks are interested in Anthony Richardson with the No. 5 pick in the 2023 NFL draft. Pete Carroll's team, though, isn't the only franchise supremely intrigued by the former Florida quarterback's otherworldly blend of raw arm talent and all-around physical tools. The Las Vegas Raiders covet Richardson, too, there's a notion they could even move into the top-five to get him by trading with Seattle.
Scouts told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler there's indeed “buzz” about the Seahawks drafting Richardson. However, those same evaluators are also considering the possibility Seattle is attempting to increase league-wide intrigue of Richardson in hopes of trading back on draft day with a more quarterback-needy team like Las Vegas.
“Anthony Richardson, the most interesting man in the draft. You look at Seattle at No. 5, they're considered a pivot point. There's a little bit of buzz about Seattle and Richardson,” Fowler said on SportsCenter, per Bleacher Report's Scott Polacek. “Now, the scouts I talked to, they sort of believe it, but they also wonder if Seattle's trying to trade back out of that spot. Drum up some interest for Richardson to have a quarterback-needy team step up and try to get him. You look at the Raiders at No. 7. I've talked to a few teams that are watching the Raiders there. They believe that with Jimmy Garoppolo as sort of a bridge quarterback for at least a year, they're in the perfect spot to get their future passer for a guy like Richardson, who is probably the most talented quarterback in this draft.”
Richardson rocketed up draft boards after a jaw-dropping performance at the NFL combine last month. Measuring at 6'4, 244 pounds, the 21-year-old blazed to a 4.43 40-yard dash and posted a 40.5 inch vertical jump and 10'9 broad jump, all tops marks among quarterbacks.
He's generally considered the third or fourth-best quarterback prospect in the 2023 draft, battling with Kentucky's Will Levis to come off the board first behind C.J. Stroud and Bryce Young.
Would Anthony Richardson fare better learning under Carroll while backing up Geno Smith or cutting his teeth under Josh McDaniels while serving as Jimmy Garoppolo's understudy? We're primed to find out what the Seahawks and Raiders think of that dynamic come draft night on April 27th.
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