Geno is still with the Seahawks. Is Seattle done at QB, though?
By Matthew Holm
The Chosen One: Go get Anthony Richardson and make him the Seahawks’ Pat Mahomes.
If you’ve been paying any amount of attention to this year’s draft rumors, then you’re aware that Anthony Richardson has become the darling of draft pundits and film analysts alike. At 6’4″ and 244 pounds, with as big an arm as anyone in this class, it should come as no surprise, really. The only QB prospects who compare are all-time athletes like Cam Newton and Daunte Culpepper.
And it seems Pete Carroll may have a star or two in his eyes when he looks at Richardson, as well. Rumor has it that Richardson was far and away the most impressive rookie in the team interview portion of the combine, as well, with special mention made of the Seahawks and their interview with the titanic Gator.
Richardson has a lot of the traits that won Geno Smith, Russell Wilson, and Tarvaris Jackson starting jobs over more conventional options Carroll has had to choose from over the last dozen years. The upside is beyond obvious, and it’s Madden-esque in its sheer physics-defying absurdity. Assuming the best possible scenario, Richardson could be an unholy combination of young and veteran Randall Cunningham, both frighteningly athletic and deadly accurate from a standstill.
But if there was no risk with Richardson, it wouldn’t even be worth discussing Seattle potentially grabbing him with the 5th overall pick, especially with two QB-needy teams sitting squarely in front of them. And the risk with Richardson is equally obvious as the upside – he has a lot of refining to do in order to reach that sky-high potential. His footwork is still sloppy, and he lacks quite a bit in the more technical aspects of quarterbacking, which, for any QB desiring a longer shelf life than Colin Kaepernick, are a necessity at the NFL level.
It’s hard to argue that this isn’t the most exciting option the Seahawks have on the table, though. And if you’re still not convinced, imagine, if you will, the most physically imposing QB of all time throwing to the most physically imposing receiver of all time. That’s exactly what the Seahawks can offer with Anthony Richardson and DK Metcalf both on the roster.