Anthony Richardson recommits to the Gators: 'UF has shown me the most love'

Anthony Richardson’s recruitment came full circle on Saturday afternoon, as the Gainesville (Fla.) Eastside quarterback chose to recommit to the Florida Gators.

Richardson, the ninth-ranked dual-threat quarterback on Rivals, announced his first pledge to the program back in July, but chose to reevaluate his options shortly after his visit to UF on Feb. 2.

A few notable schools, specifically Penn State, were in hot pursuit of Richardson and made attempts at hosting him on their respective campuses.

For Richardson, however, Dan Mullen’s staff pushed all of the right buttons and separated themselves from the pack with an emphasis on preparing for life outside of football.

“Out of all the schools that were interested in me, UF has shown me the most love,” Richardson told GatorsTerritory when breaking down his decision. “They’ve been treating me like family from the beginning.

"Of course, they want you to come and win a national championship at the school, but they’re also looking out for you, whether it’s for future jobs or anything like that. That’s what really has drawn me back.”

One of the considerable advantages that Florida had over their competition was Richardson's location by living and attending school in Gainesville.

While he did not feel any pressure to stay pat, Richardson highlighted a key element of the Gators’ program that factored into his recommitment.

“There wasn’t really a pull,” Richardson said of staying in his hometown. “It was just the feeling of being comfortable around them and feeling at home whenever I’m there with them.”

Richardson, who checks in as the ninth-ranked dual-threat quarterback in the nation, also spoke about his relationships with Brian Johnson and Dan Mullen.

The 6-foot-4, 230-pound junior is laser-focused on perfecting his craft under the tutelage of the two coaches.

“They’re direct and honest with everything they say to you,” Richardson said of Johnson and Mullen. “They’ll help me become a better passer and that’s what I’m looking forward to.”

On top of Florida’s coaches courting him, Richardson was encouraged by the rest of the 2020 commits to get back on board in the class.

“I’ve built a strong relationship with most of the recruits,” Richardson said. “They told me to follow my heart and make the best decision for me.”

With Mullen at the helm in 2018, Florida notched a six-game improvement in the win column and secured a blowout victory in the Peach Bowl.

Richardson has taken note of the positive direction the program is headed and is ready to strap up the pads for the orange and blue.

“I feel that the Gators are going to be something special and I feel like I want to be a part of that,” Richardson said. “I just expect them to keep playing how they’re playing and keep the same energy I’ve always seen.”

After tagging UF as his leader a couple of weeks ago, Richardson mentioned that his recruitment would be shut down once making his next decision.

Now that Richardson is locked in with the Gators, he is looking into the possibility of officially visiting the school prior to putting the pen to paper.

“I talked to coach Mullen and he says whenever I’m ready to schedule the visit, then we can set it up,” Richardson said of taking an OV to Florida. “It’s all up to me.”

Florida currently has eight juniors pledged in this recruiting cycle, half of which are on the Rivals250 list.

Stay tuned to GatorsTerritory.