Alabama vs. LSU: Trent Richardson Will Boost Draft Stock with Performance

For those who like a little offense with their football, the "Game of the Century" showdown between LSU and Alabama on Nov. 5, 2011, was pretty much unwatchable. There was no offense to be found on either side.

But hey, why don't we give Alabama running back Trent Richardson a little credit for what he was able to do in that game? Despite the fact the Crimson Tide were held under 300 total yards and a grand total of six points, Richardson was doing work.

On the ground, Richardson carried the ball 23 times for 89 yards, an average of 3.9 yards per rush. Not too shabby once you consider Richardson was going up against one of the top rushing defenses in the country.

Richardson helped out in Alabama's passing attack as well, catching five passes for 80 yards.

So all told, Richardson got 28 touches and gained 169 total yards. 

We can consider this performance just one of many exclamation marks from what was a brilliant season for Richardson. After waiting patiently in Mark Ingram's shadow in 2009 and 2010, Richardson proved in 2011 that he is everything Alabama thought he could be.

He also proved to the NFL punditry that he's an elite prospect, perhaps the best to come out of the college ranks in years.

Take a look around the web, and you'll see Richardson's name mentioned in the same sentence as some of the best running backs around.

Here's this from NationalFootballPost.com:

"

The best running back prospect I've seen since Adrian Peterson. His running style might limit his shell life a bit in the NFL. However, he's the kind of back you can ride like a rented mule from day one and should become one of the NFL's top runners early on.

"

Bleacher Report's Matt Miller gives Richardson even higher praise:

"

LaDainian Tomlinson set the NFL on fire when drafted, as he became a rare threat as a runner, receiver and blocker. Tomlinson and Marshall Faulk were, and are, a breed apart from the standard NFL back.

Trent Richardson is cut from the same cloth as the two. He has the strength to run through traffic, the vision to run to daylight and the hands to be a reliable option as a receiver out of the backfield.

"

Evaluations like these are more or less par for the course when it comes to Richardson. There simply aren't many (or any) doubters to be found. Thanks in large part to what he displayed throughout the course of the 2011 season, Richardson has nothing left to prove to NFL Draft scouts.

But a big game against LSU in the BCS national championship game can only help Richardson's draft stock. He's already held his own against LSU once. If he does it again or even surpasses his production from the first game, it will be abundantly apparent that the NFL is about to get a special player.

And if you ask me, Richardson is pretty much a lock to have a great game in the BCS title game. Alabama is counting on it.

We know for a certainty that Richardson is going to get touches. We can expect upwards of 20 or 25 carries on the ground, and the Tide will look to get Richardson involved in the passing game as well. By the end of the game, Richardson will have over 30 touches. You can take that to the bank.

There's only so much LSU is going to be able to do to contain Richardson. He breaks tackles better than any player in the country, and he has the ability to make plays in open space. Stopping Richardson from doing these things is much easier said than done.

Assuming Richardson gets his 30 touches, I'm expecting him to pile up at least 150 total yards. And the second time around, I'm expecting Richardson to find the end zone at least once.

When he's finished, it will be even more apparent that the NFL is about to get a very special player.

Now, the question we have to ask ourselves is how Richardson's stock can possibly get any higher. He's already viewed as a potential top-five pick, so there's really nowhere for him to go.

This is true, but what Richardson can do is prove to NFL teams that he is worth pursuing via a trade on draft day.

There are a lot of NFL teams that could benefit from adding an elite running back. A team like the New York Jets come to mind, and the Cincinnati Bengals could be in the mix if/when they lose Cedric Benson to free agency. If the Seattle Seahawks can't re-sign Marshawn Lynch, they too could aggressively pursue Richardson.

We likely wouldn't see anything as crazy as a Herschel Walker or Ricky Williams trade, but it's really not hard to imagine a team putting together a package of picks to trade up to get Richardson.

In effect, this amount of interest would make Richardson the second-most desirable player in the 2012 draft class behind Andrew Luck, who is a virtual lock to be taken No. 1 overall by the Indianapolis Colts.

Seeing as how Richardson is not rated that highly right now, the answer to our question is yes. Richardson's stock can indeed get higher.