Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud have generally been the most talked about quarterbacks coming out of college. They put up huge numbers last year for top Alabama and Ohio State programs, respectively. But Anthony Richardson's performance at the combine yesterday was what people were talking about.

Athletically, there wasn't much doubt that Richardson was the most intriguing prospect, even before he turned in a bunch of ridiculous workout numbers. Those include running a 4.43 40, posting a 40.5 vertical leap (a modern combine record for quarterbacks), and a 10-foot-9 broad jump (tied for the best at the position).

Those numbers are even more impressive considering his size. At 6-foot-4 and 244 pounds, he calls to mind Cam Newton (a comparison Richardson himself made yesterday) or Vince Young -- but faster. In the last 20 years, only one quarterback who went on to be selected in the first three rounds of the NFL Draft had a faster 40 times. That was Robert Griffin III, who looked like he was going to be an NFL star until injuries wrecked his career. In the table below, I'm showing the top 15 (drafted Rounds 1-3) in this regard.

40-YARD-DASH, QBS DRAFTED ROUNDS 1-3, 2003-PRESENT
YearPlayerSchoolHeightWt40YD
2012Robert GriffinBaylor6-22234.33
2023Anthony RichardsonFlorida6-42444.43
2021Justin FieldsOhio St.6-22274.45
2006Vince YoungTexas6-52294.48
2011Jake LockerWashington6-22314.51
2015Marcus MariotaOregon6-42224.52
2022Desmond RidderCincinnati6-32114.52
2011Colin KaepernickNevada6-52334.53
2012Russell WilsonWisconsin5-112044.53
2009Pat WhiteWest Virginia6-01974.55
2011Cam NewtonAuburn6-52484.56
2013Geno SmithWest Virginia6-22184.58
2012Andrew LuckStanford6-42344.59
2020Jalen HurtsOklahoma6-12224.59
2011Blaine GabbertMissouri6-42344.61

Richardson also has a big arm, on display in his workout yesterday. All he really needs, it seems, is to land with the right team and coaching staff to develop him properly as a passer, because there are some concerns in that area. Most notably, he completed under 54 percent of his passes last season. Among other first-round picks the last 20 years (and expected first-rounders this year), only one was worse: Ravens draft bust Kyle Boller.

1ST-ROUND QBS, FINAL YEAR OF COLLEGE, 2003-PRESENT
YearPkPlayerSchoolComAttPctP YdsTDPInt
202115Mac JonesAlabama31140277.44500414
20212Zach WilsonBrigham Young24733673.53692333
201222Brandon WeedenOklahoma State40856472.347273713
201432Teddy BridgewaterLouisville30342771.03970314
202110Justin FieldsOhio State15822570.22100226
201915Dwayne HaskinsOhio State37353370.04831508
201422Johnny ManzielTexas A&M30042969.941143713
200525Jason CampbellAuburn18827069.62700207
20211Trevor LawrenceClemson23133469.23153249
200411Ben RoethlisbergerMiami (Ohio)34249569.144863710
201316EJ ManuelFlorida State 26338768.033972310
201025Tim TebowFlorida21331467.82895215
202220Kenny PickettPittsburgh33449767.24319427
201712Deshaun WatsonClemson38857967.045934117
20213Trey LanceNorth Dakota State19228766.92786280
201626Paxton LynchMemphis29644366.83776284
2023?C.J. StroudOhio State25838966.33688416
200524Aaron RodgersCalifornia20931666.12566248
2023?Will LevisKentucky18528365.424061910
2023?Bryce YoungAlabama24538064.53328325
200818Joe FlaccoDelaware33152163.54263235
202026Jordan LoveUtah State29347361.934022017
200722Brady QuinnNotre Dame28946761.93426377
201112Christian PonderFlorida State18429961.52044208
200422J.P. LosmanTulane25142259.530773314
200611Jay CutlerVanderbilt27346259.13073219
201832Lamar JacksonLouisville25443059.136602710
200917Josh FreemanKansas State22438258.62945208
200322Rex GrossmanFlorida 28750357.134022217
2023?Anthony RichardsonFlorida17632753.82549179
200319Kyle BollerCalifornia22542153.428152810

So there's some good and bad to look at with the Florida quarterback, but bottom line, he helped himself yesterday. An exciting prospect; will be fascinating to see where he ends up.

--Andy Richardson (no relation)