Trent Richardson and RBs Who Have Most to Gain at 2012 NFL Combine

Fresh off a national championship, Alabama’s Trent Richardson is ready to take his talents to the NFL, and though he may not have to do much more to prove his worth, he certainly has a lot to gain from this week’s NFL scouting combine.

The 5'11", 224 pounds, Richardson projects to be the top running back on the board this spring after setting Alabama’s single-season rushing record with 1,679 yards and 21 touchdowns in his only season as a full-time starter.

He could be selected as high as fourth in this year’s draft, and in order to stay within the Top Five, he needs to put forth an impressive showing this week.

ESPN's Mel Kiper has called Richardson the best back available among this year’s crop, and if Richardson shares the backfield with another dominant presence—like, for instance, LeGarrette Blount of Tampa Bay—he could offer unmatched versatility and talent.

At the combine, Richardson has to show the scouts why he’s been heralded as the best prospect since Adrian Peterson. He has to prove that he has the agility, the speed and the endurance necessary to translate his game from the college gridiron to the bright lights of the NFL, and even though the consensus is that he is worthy of a top-five pick, it still seems to be taboo to gamble on a running back so high in the draft.

Richardson perhaps represents a giant leap toward changing that mindset. We already know he can be a game-changer on a BCS Championship stage; now we need to know if he can produce in the NFL as well. This combine marks the first step toward proving he can.

Here are two other running backs you should watch throughout the combine:

Lamar Miller, Miami

Miller is projected to go in the second round—or possibly very late in the first round—after rushing for nine touchdowns in 2011 and averaging 5.46 yards per carry. At 5'11" and 212 pounds, he’s fast and dynamic and looks to be a future starter somewhere down the line, but the question is, how long will the wait be?

David Wilson, Virginia Tech

Teetering somewhere between the second and third rounds, Wilson has a lot to gain from a strong performance at the combine. 2011 marked his first season as a starter, and he finished with 1,709 yards, nine TDs and an average of 5.9 yards per carry.

The problem: ball security. He has to prove that fumbles won’t plague him the way they did in college.