NFL Draft 2012: Trent Richardson Would Look Good with the St. Louis Rams

The St. Louis Rams have recently stated that they think "very highly" of Alabama running back Trent Richardson, and they would be smart to select him with the sixth-overall pick of the 2012 NFL draft.

Dave Razanno, a former scout for the St. Louis Rams, recently spoke with Jim Thomas of STLToday.com about Richardson:

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He's probably going to be the best player on the board at that point. If you're picking the best available player, it could easily be him. He's a thoroughbred. And he's more of a home-run threat than Jackson. 

I know a lot of people say you don't take a running back in the top 10, but you do if he's a dominant player. Adrian Peterson is a dominant player, and Richardson is, too.

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After securing their future by historically trading the second-overall pick to the Washington Redskins for three first-round and one second-round picks, the team is in prime position to give Sam Bradford the tools he needs to succeed in the league. 

I'm not convinced that Justin Blackmon is going to be as good as some people are suggesting. The smarter option is to take Richardson, giving Bradford one of the best one-two punches at running back in the league.

The Rams would still have the opportunity to trade back up into the first round to snag one of the premier wide receivers, perhaps Stephen Hill out of Georgia Tech. 

Stephen Jackson is getting up there in age for NFL running backs. Heading into his eighth season, the 28-year-old has taken a ton of hits in his career and he spent much of last season struggling to stay healthy.

Richardson is the best prospect at the running back position since Adrian Peterson and with the new CBA making high first-round picks more affordable, there is less risk taking a running back at the top of the draft.

Jeff Fisher has shown in his career with the Tennessee Titans that he prefers to run a balanced offense. Eddie George was his man for many of those seasons, and he had Chris Johnson for his final seasons.

With the inevitable decline of Jackson over the next couple of seasons, it makes sense to secure the future now by drafting Richardson. 

Bradford and Richardson would be the cornerstones for the Rams offense for years to come. 

All of a sudden the NFC West isn't starting to look so soft, is it?

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