You can love or hate the NFL combine and the attention it has, but you have to be impressed with what Anthony Richardson did this weekend. In a sport where the most physically dominant players are the most superior, the trend has moved to quarterbacks. So, to see that Richardson is not just one of the most phsyically impressive quarterbacks ever, but one of the most impressive players ever is worth noting.
Remember, the number one pick is about the swing for the fences, and we saw Travon Walker shoot up to number one because he does things that others cannot athletically do. Now, imagine Walker as a quarterback, and more athletic.
Better yet, imagine if Derrick Henry is your quarterback, his accuracy is meh, but he has a cannon. That is going to interest a team, especially when they are seeing Jalen Hurts, Lamar Jackson, and Josh Allen all improve as passers.
So, all of a sudden a new name is involved with the number one overall pick. Media personalities are already saying that Richadson can do what Justin Fields did next season. If that wave keeps up, the talks of Chicago staying will only heat up.
When that happens, the price for the pick goes up. Another strong comparison is Robert Griffin. He won more in college, but had the rare traits, and after he ran at the NFL combine everyone knew he was going top two. All of a sudden the trade package got huge.
Bryce Young is great, but if a team sees that Richardson could be the Herbert and Young is this year's Tua, does that make them crave getting that top pick? The Chicago Bears needed someone to stand out and drive that price up, and they got it. This is a nice offset from the Jalen Carter news affecting how far they could possibly move down in the 2023 NFL draft.