Colts dare to dream big with Richardson

May 3—INDIANAPOLIS — Anthony Richardson already has at least one big fan — figuratively and literally — inside the Indianapolis Colts' locker room.

"I mean, that's the guy that I had wanted to get," defensive tackle Grover Stewart said Wednesday of the former Florida quarterback selected with the fourth overall pick in the NFL Draft. "I was happy whenever we chose him. When I saw that we got him, I was like, 'Shoot, I'm good now.'"

As the 20-year-old rookie begins the task of winning over his new locker room, the 6-foot-4, 315-pound defender will be a good man to have in his corner.

Richardson was scheduled to return to the Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center with the rest of the Colts' 12-man draft class Thursday, exactly a week after he was selected with the franchise's highest draft pick since quarterback Andrew Luck went first overall in 2012.

The expectations on Richardson's shoulders will be tremendous.

He'll be asked to end a quarterback carousel that has seen seven different Week 1 starters dating back to 2016 and to take his place in a franchise legacy that includes top draft picks Luck and Peyton Manning since the move to Indianapolis in 1984.

Stewart wants Richardson to know he won't have to do it alone.

"It just puts more on him because you're coming in (and) you know you've got a big role to fill," Stewart said. "That's really gonna build his character and see what type of guy he really is whenever everything starts flying with him. A young guy like that, I believe he could do it.

"I've been watching him and looking at his interviews or whatever, and he seems like a great guy. So we're gonna be behind him, and he's gonna be behind us."

Richardson's reputation precedes him — particularly his record-shattering on-field performance at the NFL Scouting Combine in February at Lucas Oil Stadium.

The 6-4, 244-pound phenom's 40.5-inch vertical leap was the best for a quarterback since at least 2003, and his 10-9 broad jump tied the best mark for the position during the same time period.

Richardson's 4.43-second 40-yard dash was the fourth-fastest for a quarterback in at least the last 20 years.

In terms of Combine measurables — as pointed out by a tweet from NFL Research — he checked in taller than San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle, heavier than Philadelphia Eagles pass rusher Haason Reddick and has bigger hands than Arizona Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, a higher vertical than Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Devante Adams and a longer broad jump than Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.

Three-time All-Pro left guard Quenton Nelson was among Richardson's new teammates who took notice.

"The game film is definitely more important, seeing some of the spectacular plays he made and throws he made," Nelson said. "But, to just go to the Combine like he did and be the best ever, I would say that's pretty important that he took it that seriously and dominated it the way he did. That's who you — a guy you want to draft is someone that wants to be the best and does the best."

Richardson famously grew up modeling his game after former NFL MVPs Cam Newton and Lamar Jackson and even coined the nickname "Cam Jackson" to describe his style of play.

It's a fitting moniker. Richardson combines Newton's size with Jackson's speed.

But he has to find a way to consistently put it all together on the playing field. If he does, he could be a threat rarely — if ever — seen before at the game's highest level.

"Playing a dual (threat) quarterback is sometimes extremely hard because, yes, he can pass, but he can definitely run," Colts cornerback Kenny Moore II said. "And when he runs, you have to tackle — especially this guy we just got — you gotta get him to the ground.

"Just playing (Deshaun) Watson, whenever he was (the quarterback) in Houston, he was obviously a big hit. So whenever you're in coverage and you're covering a guy or you're in a certain zone and he rolls out of the pocket because the pass rush broke down, you've got a choice to make very fast — do you want to go get him, or do you want to protect whoever's behind you, whether or not you can see him?"

Indianapolis has worked hard to temper expectations for Richardson.

General manager Chris Ballard is preaching patience while owner Jim Irsay notes there could be more bad than good in Year 1.

First-year head coach Shane Steichen is excited to get Richardson into the building and get to work.

With Richardson's physical skill, elite athleticism, high football IQ and relentless work ethic, the possibilities appear to be endless.

"Coming in young, man, we can mold him," Stewart said. "He's already an athlete and the team — we could really do something and be something special with this guy if everybody just comes together and holds him up."