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Post by bimigator on Dec 5, 2022 22:01:48 GMT -5
I'm sad he's leaving and wish he'd have taken one more shot at leading the team in 2023, but I love Richardson and am glad he was our QB this year.
He had incredible natural gifts and when he was on it was a blast to watch. Don't forget he carried the team to an opening win against the Pac-12 champs, and he kept us in games we should've lost big. Mistakes happened, but he was working almost solo, with receivers who couldn't get open and couldn't catch the ball when he sent it to them anyway.
I'm hoping that he'll get matched with a good QB developer and a team with some solid WR1s. AR is Robert Griffin III but three inches taller and 30 pounds heavier. I'll be rooting for him at the next level for sure.
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Post by bimigator on Dec 5, 2022 22:03:17 GMT -5
And from a character perspective: yes, he could be a little deer in the headlights when the going got tough, but he always faced reporters like a man (didn't have to) and never threw teammates under the bus (even though they often deserved it). Smart, thoughtful, great kid. Glad to see Eastside get some representation.
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Post by Mojave Gator on Dec 6, 2022 0:46:35 GMT -5
If things work out to his best advantage, he will be drafted by a team that needs a quarterback but not immediately. As raw as his skills are, if he were given the reins from day one, he would never develop into what he could eventually become.
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Post by tapsgator on Dec 6, 2022 10:10:37 GMT -5
I wish I could love this thread so much. I'm going to bookmark it so when inevitably people start slamming him for leaving and lack of loyalty, etc. etc. I can reference it. I've never seen so many people, some close friends included, just blindly spewing A/R hate and ignoring what anybody with a remotely open mind and two working eyes can see: physically this guy can do things we've never seen anyone, and I mean anyone, do. Kid throws for 400 yards and 60% completion percentage with 7 drops? What about that Hail Mary he threw out the back of the end zone? It was a bad pass, but NFL front offices only noticed that he threw a ball 70 yards barely stepping into it, they don't give 2 shits about the results of the games. Any of them. They see the best athlete in the draft regardless of position with the strongest arm and quickest release. His footwork is a mess on swing throws, but they also realize that he's had about as much coaching as your typical 5 star has had by the time they're in 11th grade due to circumstances beyond his control. He didn't run enough for my liking but he ran enough for them to see that he has a gear that maybe 2 current QBs have (Fields and Jackson) with Josh Allen's size and power.
Drafting him is a swing for the fences, and you may very well strike out, but if you don't? If he's a bigger, faster, stronger armed Jalen Hurts? That's career making stuff. Agree with Mo, I really hope he gets at least a full year on the bench. I hope he doesn't rise into the top 10, but I don't see what Will Levis does better than him at 2 years older and 3x as many games started with better receivers (thanks for that Dan Mullen, gift that keeps on giving) and he's most people's number 3 QB. Some have him at 2 which is stupid but again size and arm strength is at a premium. I would be shocked if Levis ends the draft process ahead of Richardson.
But I'm ready for it because historical conduct is the most accurate predictor of future behavior. So we'll ignore the fact that he didn't jump ship when he could have, committed to Brian Johnson (who by the way is the reason that Hurts took a huge step forward) and didn't leave when he left despite Mullen refusing to start him. He then stayed to play for a first year head coach who had never managed (and candidly didn't appear ready to manage) games in the SEC throwing to mediocre (at best) receivers somehow becoming a scapegoat for losses despite some remarkable performances (the Kentucky game is clearly the only one you could say he really contributed to the loss) in the process. If he had come back this year I don't think it would have been in Orange and Blue, and he could have walked into a starting job literally everywhere in the country other than maybe USC and Texas. I wish the kid the best of luck, he certainly never did anything to embarrass the brand and stayed a Gator through all kinds of weather. I hope the Falcons draft him and sign a veteran for him to sit behind.
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Post by gatordoll on Dec 6, 2022 23:40:47 GMT -5
AR certainly has potential. That said his record as a starting QB this year wasn't exactly stellar. 3 SEC wins over mediocre opponents and we struggled to beat a lousy USF. (Let's not forget Vandy.) Is the coaching to blame for his inconsistency? You mention the Kentucky game but was it his decision to turn into a pure pocket passer that day? Or did he hesitate to move due to injury? We will never know...
We obviously are not equiped to further his development so his decision to go pro was a no-brainer. Let's hope he is drafted by a team that allows him to use his running talent in combination with his arm.
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