After dazzling at NFL combine, Florida QB Anthony Richardson now among betting favorites to be No. 1 pick

Anthony Richardson is turning heads at the NFL combine and the oddsmakers have taken notice.

The Florida quarterback posted two combine records for his position on Saturday with a 40.5-inch vertical jump and a 10-foot, 9-inch broad jump. He also ran a blistering 4.43 40-yard dash.

At 6-foot-4 and 244 pounds, Richardson is an elite athlete. Anybody who watched him play in the SEC knows that. And now there are some rumblings that he is in consideration for the No. 1 pick in the upcoming NFL draft.

As of Saturday afternoon, Richardson made a significant climb on the odds board for the No. 1 pick at BetMGM. Richardson is currently listed at +300, behind only Alabama quarterback Bryce Young (-185).

Richardson showed flashes of brilliance but was plagued by inconsistencies as the starter for the Gators in 2022. Nonetheless, his odds to be the first pick have skyrocketed.

Richardson was Florida’s backup in 2021 as a redshirt freshman but still burst onto the scene in the college football world by making highlight-reel plays whenever he saw the field. Many of those plays came with his legs and questions about his ability as a passer persisted.

When he took over the starting role in 2022, Richardson had a dazzling Week 1 performance in a win over Utah. A week later, Richardson struggled mightily in a home loss to Kentucky. It was a sign of things to come. Richardson had some wonderful moments over the course of the season, but often struggled with accuracy and decision-making in the passing game.

He finished the season with 2,549 yards, 17 touchdowns and nine interceptions while completing just 53.8% of his attempts. He also rushed for 654 yards and nine scores.

Only a redshirt sophomore, Richardson decided to declare for the NFL Draft even with quarterback prospects like Young, Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud and Kentucky’s Will Levis also entering the draft.

It’s easy to be enamored by Richardson’s talent. The Chicago Bears currently hold the No. 1 pick but are reportedly open to trading out of that spot. The Bears have Justin Fields at quarterback and plenty of needs elsewhere on their depth chart. They could receive a bounty of picks from a quarterback-needy team.

Could one of those teams ultimately decide that Richardson is worth the risk?

Odds for No. 1 overall pick:

• Alabama QB Bryce Young: -185

• Florida QB Anthony Richardson: +300

• Ohio State QB C.J. Stroud: +500

• Kentucky QB Will Levis: +900

• Alabama LB Will Anderson: +1400

• Texas Tech EDGE Tyree Wilson: +2000

• Georgia DL Jalen Carter: +3500

• Clemson DE Myles Murphy: +10000