The 2023 NFL Combine is officially in the books, which means the next big event for the next wave of NFL hopefuls is the 2023 NFL Draft. Organizations such as the Carolina Panthers had the chance to observe some of the top prospects in this draft class and take their final notes before the draft rolls around in April.
In 2022, the Panthers finished 7-10 and missed the playoffs for the fifth straight year. The team also went through major changes during the season, with the firing of head coach Matt Rhule and the Christian McCaffrey trade to the San Francisco 49ers being the two biggest changes of them all.
That leads us to the 2023 offseason, and Carolina’s front office could have a lot of difficult decisions to make when it comes to the construction of their roster. The Panthers have nearly 20 free agents of their own, and are already over the salary cap. Because of that, the Panthers No. 9 overall pick in the upcoming draft is even more important.
There are many possible options for the Panthers with this pick, but with the Combine in the rearview mirror, it seems like they are constantly getting linked to quarterback Anthony Richardson from Florida. So with that in mind, let’s take a look at why Richardson would be the perfect fit for the Panthers in the draft.
Why Anthony Richardson is the perfect fit for the Panthers
Richardson spent each of his three collegiate seasons with the Florida Gators. While Florida had its ups and downs during Richardson’s stint, he emerged as a potential first-round talent right away.
In 2022, his only season as a full-time starter, Richardson completed 53.8% of his passes for 17 touchdowns against nine interceptions. He also added 654 rushing yards for nine scores. With Richardson as the team’s starter, the Gators went 6-6.
