NFL Draft 2012: Trent Richardson and the Rookie of the Year Award

Trent Richardson is without a doubt the most anticipated back to enter the 2012 NFL Draft and after watching the Alabama go-to-guy simply run around, over and through defenses all year, it's easy to understand why.

The Heisman-finalist will no doubt be one of the most exciting players to watch at the NFL Combine as his raw speed and strength will be on display for all to see.

And whilst it's easy to get ahead of ourselves in speculation of what the year ahead contains for Richardson, with a prospect like this, he must be considered a real possibility not just to have a solid first year, but also to take the Rookie of the Year Award.

With all the talk around Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III entering the National Football Year, Richardson must still also be considered a genuine threat for the award as his dominant ground game potentially already places him amongst the leagues best.

You don't receive comparisons with Minnesota star Adrian Peterson for nothing, who year in and year out boasts terrific numbers for the Vikings. Wherever Richardson lands, many are expecting him to do the same as Peterson has done, and if that's the case, then Rookie of the Year is certainly not out of the question.

This, after all, is the man that came third in the Heisman Trophy voting—going down to two incredible quarterbacks in Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III.

His 2011 season numbers speak volumes about what has teams so excited about Richardson, who was an integral part of Alabama's BCS National Championship Title over the top ranked LSU.

Throughout the year, he chalked up 1,679 rushing yards at a phenomenal rate of 5.9 yards per carry. When you throw in his 21 touchdowns also, his season just became incredible.

And when you mix all that in with his 338 receiving yards, you have a man who put up a 2,000-plus season for all-purpose yards that yielded 24 touchdowns and a national title.

It's easy to see why Trent Richardson is a man in high demand.

Keep in mind, also, that since 1967 running backs have won the Offensive Rookie of the Year on 68 percent of occasions, and since the Pepsi Rookie of the Year started being awarded in 2002, running backs have also won that award three times.

So a strong, versatile, young, athletic and football-ready running back is rightly considered a fairly hot commodity right now in the National Football League—even if it is quarterback focused.

Whilst running backs usually don't go top 10 in drafts, most are expecting Richardson to defy the logic and potentially go as high as five or six in the draft.

Luck and Griffin will go ahead of him, as will Matt Kalil, but after those picks the Alabama star may very well hear his name called.

Just where Richardson may land is up for a little more debate, as he could find himself at Cleveland, Washington, Tampa or even the Jets—we simply don't know this as clearly as we do with Luck and Griffin.

But will the draft determine whether or not Trent Richardson can win the Rookie of the Year Award? I guess the truthful answer is both yes and no.

To some extent, wherever he lands won't stop him from getting the football time and time again. He is definitely strong enough and has enough skill to break tackles, find the open field, chalk up yards and score touchdowns for whatever team he plays.

Whether he's at Washington or Cleveland won't change the fact that he will get plenty of carries and he will make those carries reap great rewards for both him and his team—something he will definitely need if he is to take the award.

Having said that though, the team that drafts Richardson can impact his numbers on a variety of levels. Different teams are going to have different offensive lines, which could affect Richardson's ability to move the chain and chalk up yards.

Different teams also have different schedules, meaning that whether he ends up with a schedule that features poor running defenses or strong running defenses will severely impact his chances.

Which does place him at a disadvantage is that Luck and Griffin, who regardless of the defense, will throw the football and have a chance to shine. Yes, they are also impacted by the offensive line and the wide receivers and the entire offense to be honest, but not to the same extent that Richardson could be.

I mean, what would he have to do to win the Rookie of the Year Award as a running back in this quarterback-dominated league?

In 2003, Domanick Williams of the Houston Texans was the first running back to win Rookie of the Year, and he did so off the back of 1,031 yards at 4.3 yards per carry. This was despite the fact he didn't rank in the top ten for rushing yards, and only accounted for eight touchdowns.

Then in 2005, another running back won the award; this time it was Tampa Bay star Cadillac Williams, who chalked up 1,178 rushing yards at 4.1 yards per carry. He also didn't rank in the top ten for total yards, and only scored six touchdowns.

Adrian Peterson in 2007 was the last running back to win the award, as his season with the Minnesota Vikings yielded 1,341 yards at a whopping 5.6 yards per carry. He also notched up 12 touchdowns, and finished second in the league for rushing yards.

From those players we can gather what Richardson would roughly need to achieve to win Rookie of the Year. If he could notch up something around, or above, 1,200 yards and 10 touchdowns at 5.0 yards per carry, then he would have to be considered a serious candidate.

It's also worth noting that out of the three guys mentioned, in the year they won the award, only one finished with a winning record. Thus Richardson's side may finish 6-10, but this should not take away his chances at the award—even if Luck or Griffin make it to the playoffs.

The Pepsi Rookie of the Year Award is an individual award, not a team one, and although a team's success will weigh in on the award to some extent, the real focus should be on the numbers that the players put up alone.

And in the end, it may just come down to the big three that we began with—Luck, Griffin and Richardson—though we must not count out players like Morris Claiborne or Janoris Jenkins, with both cornerbacks the favorites to win the award on defense.

You've got to think that the 2012 Pepsi Rookie of the Year Award has to come down to one of these five players and if that's the case, and Richardson has a real shot at winning it.

If he can stay healthy, and put up the numbers suggested before, then there's no reason why a running back can't take home the award for the fourth time in nine years.

Even in this league, which we're continually being told is quarterback dominated, running the football still has it's time and still has it's place. It still gives teams yards and points and ultimately, helps teams win football games.

Which, come to think of it, Trent Richardson is also very, very good at doing.

I guess that's why they call him "The Freak."

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