Earlier this week, second-year pro Anthony Richardson of the Indianapolis Colts became the latest quarterback drafted since the spring of 2021 to be benched by his first NFL team.
During Wednesday’s edition of the “Unsportsmanlike” program, ESPN NFL Draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. offered advice to signal-callers not yet eligible to play at the highest level.
“Get as many starts in college as possible,” Kiper said, as shared by Sam Neumann of Awful Announcing. “…Go back and get those extra dozen-plus starts, and that’ll help you deal with the scrutiny and the expectations that are there for a rookie, second-year quarterback in the National Football League.”
Kiper was echoing a take made by Tom Brady this past summer regarding how teams “don’t develop quarterbacks anymore” and instead expect players “to be great” immediately out of college. The Athletic and other outlets shared this week how a handful of quarterbacks drafted since 2021 have been benched and/or discarded by clubs that spent first-round draft picks on those signal-callers.
Richardson was always going to be a project across at least his first few NFL seasons, as he recorded just 13 college starts while with the Florida Gators.
Former New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh made it known this past winter he regretted starting Zach Wilson as a rookie during the 2021 campaign. Many within the NFL community have blamed the Chicago Bears for not properly developing 2021 first-round draft pick Justin Fields. The Carolina Panthers making Bryce Young, the first choice of the 2023 draft, a Week 1 rookie starter now looks like a massive mistake that could set the franchise back for years.
“You’re expected to play at a seven-year veteran level when you’re a rookie, second-year quarterback,” Kiper added during the segment. “…It wasn’t like that back in the day. And now, we’re chewing them up and spitting out early. So, the development of a quarterback doesn’t exist. That’s why I get down to who needs to go back, get as much time in college as you’re allowed to get.”
The NFL is more often than not a “win now” business for front-office executives and coaches who have to answer to fans demanding that promising rookie quarterbacks play ahead of schedule. Additionally, top-tier college stars understandably want to enter the league as soon as possible, as they know one hit can essentially end a promising career.
In short, there’s little that Kiper, Brady or anybody else can do to change the nature of the business, even though they may be right about why so many young quarterbacks are struggling in the NFL during the 2020s.
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