Anthony Richardson Declares for 2023 NFL Draft, Will Skip Florida's Bowl Game

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Florida Gators quarterback Anthony Richardson declared for the 2023 NFL draft on Monday and announced he will not participate in the team's upcoming Las Vegas Bowl matchup against Oregon State on Dec. 17.

While Richardson has declared for the draft, he's likely not going to be one of the top five quarterbacks selected in this year's class despite entering the 2022 season as a projected first-round pick.

Alabama's Bryce Young, Ohio State's C.J. Stroud, Kentucky's Will Levis and Tennessee's Hendon Hooker have all been mentioned as the cream of the crop in the 2023 draft class, and understandably so.

Entering 2022, Richardson seemed to be the prototypical quarterback teams would be interested in looking at for the 2023 draft with a strong arm and peak athleticism, but he hasn't put together the best season.

Richardson didn't toss his first touchdown pass until four games into the season, and he only threw for at least 300 yards in two games.

Richardson spent the last three seasons with the Gators, taking over as the team's full-time starter in 2022. In 12 games this season, he completed just 53.8 percent of his passes for 2,549 yards, 17 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He also rushed for 654 yards and nine scores.

Florida has gone a disappointing 6-6 in the process.

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Any team interested in drafting Richardson in 2023 must also realize that he's likely not going to be a starting quarterback immediately. The Florida product will need some time to develop at the next level, and the best situation would be for him to sit for at least one season and learn from a veteran starter in the NFL.