It’s hard to read through some of this. Is he ready for the NFL, right now? NO. But if he lands with the right team that is patient and able to work with him for a season or 2, in the right environment, he could absolutely be a stud in the league. He needs time to learn & grow …and that is just not going to happen in G’ville …or any other school that would want him to transfer for that matter, because they need the AR finished product Now. His ceiling is just as high as anyone else in the draft. And he has a better chance of reaching it if he is able to land with the right team AND the right environment. College ain’t it. I wish him well.
Caleb Williams is a true sophomore, he's got one more year in college before he can go to the NFL. So we can rule out USC as the team AR will be playing for next year,
One NFC Playoff team front office executive summed it up perfectly: “We don’t know if he’s Josh Allen, Cam Newton, or JaMarcus Russell right now. The ceiling is incredible, but do you risk what happens to your job if he craters? We won’t. I bet someone will.” “Richardson may be betting on the “someone will” part, and that’s understandable. Life-changing money is life-changing money. But if Richardson leaves, it won’t be because he’s ready. It will be because he’s so talented that one day he may be.”
Just maybe...he isnt as complete as he needs to be? I suggest that he is not. Throws are very much erratic but so good when it's on. Decisions to run even with an obvious open field are questionable. It's like watching a potential elite QB every game! Can he be one? YES! is he one now? No.
If AR is drafted in the first round it will be a far greater paradigm shift than NIL or the transfer portal were. It will signal, officially, that college football is nothing but an extended camp for top flight talent. They won't be expected to go all out. The NFL will start watching them when they get recruited, and look for physical development over playing hard. It's going to change the way coaches recruit. Because a guy looking to protect his job isn't going to recruit the guy who clearly is just looking for a route to the 1st round. AR could be the very person who kicks off an eventual shift to a developmental league when colleges quit recruiting those guys.
….all these guys want to make the League You are making it seem like AR isn’t giving 100%. He definitely is
Not at all what I was saying, but one could certainly make the argument. My point was if he's drafted with the resume he has, it's a big sign that the NFL isn't all that worried about your college performances if you catch their eye early enough.
They’ve always been focused on potential NFL performance. This isn’t new. For example the bust rate of Heisman winners is astronomical
They're far more concerned with his physical measurables than game to game statistics. It's been that way since the Gil Brandt and the Cowboys went to a computer based system.
* - for players that have proved themselves at the college level show me a first round draft pick with AR's stats.
Josh Allen drafted 1st rd/7th pick 11 games Passing 152/270 56.3% 16 TD/6 int 1812 yds Rushing 92 att for 204 yds 2.2 avg 5 TD AR 12 games Passing 176/327 53.8% 17 TD/9 int 2549 yds Rushing 103 att for 650 yds 6.3 avg 9 TD 1 more completed pass per game(12) 57.49% 2 more completed pass per game (24) 61.16% List of QB's taken DraftHistory.com Searchable data base College Football Statistics and History | College Football at Sports-Reference.com AR doesn't need to be the 1st pick, just a 1st rder
Josh threw for 28 TD's his sophomore season. He was a multi-year starter. He got hurt his final year, missed games but still came back to play in the bowl game.
With a 56% completion rate. He also through 15 int that yr. His sophomore yr. My point being, AR is 1 to 2 completed passes per game from being in 60% range and a possible number 1 overall pick. NFL teams see the potential.
Tons of guys are drafted based on talent, not production at the college level. Travon Walker was picked over Aidan Hutchinson last year.
As mentioned, Josh Allen had a very good season under his belt already. Winston was similarly down his last year but had a better on his resume. I really cannot find another 1st round QB with nothing of note in his college statistics. Walker had a good season, too. I'm not saying that the guy with better stats always gets drafted higher, just that 1st rounders almost always have some 1st round success on their resume. AR does not.
Trey Lance. Had 1 season. His senior yr was cut down to 1 game due to COVID. 1st Rd. Mitch Tribisky. First 2 yrs was garbage time avg 500 yds both seasons. 1 full season his jr yr. Got him drafted 1st Rd. There is president of a QB being taken in the 1st Rd off of potential and few stats Not often but it happens.
That is true. But AR is a truly elite physical talent that could cause a GM to throw caution to the winds - particularly on a team with an established QB with a couple years left in the gas tank and the time to mold that marvelous physical talent.
