Anthony Richardson entered the NFL Scouting Combine with a bit of unknown surrounding his draft status, a quarterback prospect with plenty of athleticism but uncertainty about where a team would select him.
His 40.5-inch vertical jump on Saturday — which set the record for quarterbacks in the combine since at least 2003, per NFL Research — could certainly help with that.
He also set the all-time record for quarterback with a 10-foot, 9-inch broad jump. According to The Athletic, the previous record for a quarterback in the vertical jump was set by Josh Portis (40.0 inches), who finished his career at the California University of Pennsylvania, in 2011, and the overall record is 45.0 inches.
Richardson’s measurements in Indianapolis were 6-foot-4 and 244 pounds.
He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.44 seconds Saturday afternoon, too.
When Richardson stepped into the vertical jump area, he pumped his arms twice before elevating the third time.
He stretched his right arm out to mark his spot, and then turned around after landing to see which spot he reached.
It’s a pivotal combine for Richardson, whose rise and fall on draft boards leading up to the first round April 27 could be attributed to a blend of his athleticism and limited sample size on the field.
He only played in 24 games for Florida, with half of those occurring in the 2022 campaign under first-year Gators head coach Bill Napier.
He flashed his potential with 106 rushing yards and three touchdowns in Florida’s season-opening upset of Utah. But he didn’t throw a touchdown until the fourth game of the season.
Richardson finished with 17, along with nine interceptions, across the year.
His completion percentage dipped to 54 percent and he didn’t participate in the Gators’ SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl.
“I don’t even know what that means, ‘project label,’” Richardson told reporters in his interview at the combine. “But I’m willing to bring anything and everything that they need from me. I’m going to work hard. I’m going to be dedicated to my craft. And I’m just going to be a leader in that organization. So just grow, and continue to grow.”