Report: Vikings meet with top QB prospect at Scouting Combine

The 2023 NFL Scouting Combine is officially underway and, as always, the combine comes with plenty of rumors and things for potential discussion. One of those comes courtesy of the Minnesota Vikings, who reportedly met with a quarterback that would look pretty good in purple, if there was even the slightest chance that the Vikings could get him here.

Darren Wolfson of KSTP (through Judd Zulgad) is reporting that the Vikings met with Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson in Indianapolis. While this is sure to get some pulses racing, the reality of the situation is likely not all that exciting.

Richardson, as things stand right now, is the number 3 quarterback on most draft boards behind Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud. (Most of the draft boards I’ve seen, anyway.) He’s going to put in a full workout at the scouting combine when it’s time for the quarterbacks to take the field, and there’s a very good chance that he’s going to put on a display that will put him well out of Minnesota’s reach, absent a huge move up the boards via trade.

Honestly, it’s quite possible that Richardson could move into the conversation as a top-5 pick in this April’s draft if he puts on the kind of performance that many expect from him. With numerous teams (currently) in the top 5 that need a quarterback, it’s going to be very difficult for the Vikings (or anyone else that’s that far down the board) to make a potential move up to get him. It would take a lot of draft capital for multiple seasons, and right now the Vikings just haven’t got it.

This could very well just be the Vikings doing their due diligence on a top prospect in the event that something weird happens, but at this point I’m just not sure if there’s any there there. Stranger things have happened, but it might be best to temper one’s enthusiasm as far as any thoughts of Anthony Richardson putting on a Vikings hat on 27 April.