2012 NFL Draft: 5 Best Fits for Trent Richardson

NFL teams in need of a bona fide, every-down back have been licking their chops watching Trent Richardson. 

The Alabama Crimson Tide halfback only won two national championships in three seasons and snatched up the Doak Walker Award before entering the NFL draft pool.

Richardson looks to join esteemed company as a top 10 running back selection, a group that includes Adrian Peterson and Darren McFadden.

Unfortunately, Richardson going in the top 10 is not a done deal. With pass/rush splits leaning more toward passing each year and the running back committee movement gaining more steam, an every-down running back is not as much of a necessity as it used to be. Nevertheless, Richardson could be a once in a lifetime talent, a physical running force that could make the most pedestrian offenses look like a well-oiled machine.  

Here are the teams most likely to select Trent Richardson in April.

Cleveland Browns

First Round: No. 4

Last Season: Let’s face it. When Peyton Hillis stopped dressing for the Cleveland Browns, Colt McCoy was left with a UFL roster.

Cleveland finished in dead last with four rushing touchdowns on the year and No. 28 in total rushing yards. The running back depth chart following Hillis’ name explains it all: Montario Hardesty, Chris Ogbonnaya. Great names on those two, but meager production.

Pros: With Hillis most likely packing his bags, Trent Richardson has a chance to fill the void as the Browns' leading rusher. He would handle the majority of the carries to give the Browns a power-running identity they so desperately need. Richardson would become Colt McCoy’s best friend, taking some pressure off the Browns' quarterback and opening up the play action and West-Coast passing that Head Coach Pat Shurmur wants to run.

Cons: The Browns’ draft selection is a bit high for the demand he’s garnering among the top 10 (most teams are not looking for a running back). Plus, the team is not sold on Colt McCoy as their signal caller for the future. If they like Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III enough, they will take him over Richardson.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

First Round: No. 5

Last Season: Tampa Bay fielded the NFL’s worst offense in 2012. Even with rising talent LaGarrette Blount, the rushing attack was last in the league in total yards and in the bottom five in total first downs.

Pros: New head coach Greg Schiano looks to instill a no-nonsense attitude in Tampa. Trent Richardson’s running style is exactly how he wants his team to perform: determined and with a purpose. Pairing Richardson with Blount would be a formidable combination for two big backs who could wear down opposing defenses all game. Blount is not known for his pass-catching ability, so Richardson would be able to flourish with third-down opportunities as well. With a talent like Richardson, Schiano will have a young backfield he can rely on and help his quarterback Josh Freeman get back on track in 2012.

Cons: The Bucs' defense was just as atrocious as their offense, finishing in the bottom five in all major categories. A few defensive studs will be waiting for the Buccaneers' call (LSU’s Morris Claiborne for starters), and they might have to reciprocate with Drew Brees, Cam Newton and Matt Ryan in their division. Without updating the defensive unit, this NFC South squad will never have a lead for the running backs to protect.

New York Jets

First Round: No. 16 

Last Season: The success behind the first two Jets seasons under Rex Ryan was that those teams had a distinct identity. They were going to run the ball down teams' throats and play an aggressive defense that blitzed from everywhere. They had a toughness and a swagger that was unparalleled, contributing to their two trips to the AFC championship game. 

But in 2011, the New York Jets did not know what they were. They would throw 50 times one game and play keep-away the next. Something needs to change in that offensive group in 2012, and if Richardson is still sitting on their board at No. 16, they’d be wise to snatch him up.

Pros: Brian Schottenheimer lost his running game, which led to Tony Sparano’s hiring in the offseason. Although the offensive line may be at fault just as much as the backs, Sparano was known to make something out of nothing with his offensive line rotations. Sparano loved his running backs in Miami (see Wildcat offense), so snagging Richardson seems like a real possibility.

Cons:

New York needs to find a compliment to Shonn Greene with LaDanian Tomlinson becoming a free agent in 2012. Also, the Jets need to find out if Shonn Greene is their long-term answer at running back before they decide if they should select Richardson. As good as the Alabama running back looks, if the Jets can’t get him on the field, they’ll have to pass.

Despite flashes of brilliance by Greene in the last couple years, I think a superb talent like Richardson can only help the Jets' offense move the chains, especially in the short passing game to bail out quarterback Mark Sanchez.

Cincinnati Bengals

First Round: No. 17

Last Season: Cincinnati had a spectacular draft last season, finding the nucleus of their passing offense in first-round receiver A.J. Green and second-round quarterback Andy Dalton. They finished the season with a playoff berth to Houston and are looking to build on their offensive foundation. They finished No. 17 in rushing offense, led by third-year back Cedric Benson, who is a free agent this offseason.

Pros: After a playoff trip in 2011, it was evident the Bengals were in need of an upgrade in the running game. Barring a huge drop out of the top 15 picks, the Bengals will have to trade up for Richardson. They are one of the prime contenders to make a move for the Alabama star. The addition of Richardson will add another dimension to the offense, a toughness on the ground that will complement the aerial attack.

Cons: Their 17^th selection may be a too low to grab Richardson if a team in front of them decides to go with the "Best Player Available" approach. The Bengals did not trade up for Andy Dalton last season, hoping he would be on the board in the top 10 of the second round. They were fortunate then, and they may take the same risk once again.

Detroit Lions

First Round: No. 23

Last Season: When Jahvid Best went down with a concussion midway through 2011, the Detroit Lions lost the running dimension to their offense. Defenses knew that their offense would be passing, utilizing the spread or the no-huddle in excess. They made the playoffs this season, but in order to build on their success, they need help on defense and in the running game.

Pros: Assuming Jahvid Best is healthy, the Lions already have their lightning, and all they need now is their thunder. Richardson would be the perfect fit for this offense, providing the power-running option that this team dreadfully needs to become a complete offensive attack. A defense needing to account for Richardson and Best coming out of the backfield would create a ton of play-action opportunities for Matthew Stafford to hit Calvin Johnson even more than last season. 

Cons: They need some assistance in the defensive backfield, maybe even more so than at the running back position (Kevin Smith was serviceable, but not dynamic in 2011’s second half).

They’ll need to trade up to be able to grab Richardson (see the previous Cincinnati slide), and with some serious defensive holes, it may be in their best interest to stockpile defensive players and hope running-back value comes to them in the later rounds. But this cannot be overlooked: The addition of Richardson to that Detroit offense would make them one of the scariest young offenses in the NFL today.