2012 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Alabama RB Trent Richardson

Not even Alabama RB Trent Richardson could escape the wrath of the scandal-filled summer that smacked college football this offseason.

Richardson was involved in a merchandise investigation that was tied to his involvement and relationship with a local menswear store, but even though the related details and photos seemed a little scandalous, nothing ever came of the report.

Thankfully, the big junior back can now fully focus on his first season as the starting back for the Tide offense.

So far, Richardson has looked like a worthy replacement for his Heisman-winning predecessor, Mark Ingram.

Richardson has already scored eight rushing touchdowns in just three games, and he’s on a Heisman-type pace early on in the season.

The question is, can he keep it up all year long?

Only time will tell, but what’s certain is that Richardson has solidified his status as one of the premier running backs in the country and a coveted pro prospect.

So how does the highly touted Alabama bruiser stack up as an NFL prospect?

Let’s break down and scout Trent Richardson.

Size

At 5’11’’, 225-pounds, Trent Richardson has the perfect muscular build to handle being a workhorse back for an NFL offense.

The stacked-up Richardson has muscles in places muscles probably shouldn’t be.

The junior is certainly an imposing figure that can intimidate even the most fearless defenders.

Richardson has the size to handle a heavy workload for a team that likes to pound it on the ground.

Speed

Richardson isn’t going to break any records when he runs at the NFL Combine, but for his size, he’s still got some impressive wheels to show off.

The powerful junior isn’t as big of a home-run threat as David Wilson, and he’s not the pure track speedster that LaMichael James is, but when you remember that he’s 225 pounds, it’s easy to appreciate what Richardson is able to do once he gets past the first line of defense

Balance

Richardson reportedly squats something ridiculous like 500 pounds, so you know he’s got the powerful thighs to handle juking would-be-tacklers out of their cleats.

The big back is quicker than he is fast, and although he doesn’t have Andre Ellington's kind of lateral agility, Richardson can still make plays in space and his lower body strength makes him a nightmare to try to bring down without a gang of tacklers.

Vision

Running behind an offensive line as big and as talented as Alabama’s, Trent Richardson doesn’t have to make a ton of things happen at the line of scrimmage.

Richardson usually has a pretty decent sized hole to run through, but on the few plays when he hasn’t had the luxury, he’s done a good job of reacting to the flow and making the proper cutbacks to avoid oncoming defensive linemen.

Richardson has solid instincts and a great feel for reading his blocks and finding the open lane in the defense.

Mentality

Trent Richardson knows that he’s got the bulk to be a physical force in the ground game, and he uses those few extra pounds of muscle to his benefit when he storms through the line.

Richardson plays exactly how he lifts in the weight room.

Strong, angry and focused.

Richardson can match any defender in college football in the tenacity department.

If anyone can get a Trent Richardson-Vontaze Burfict Oklahoma Drill set up for Youtube, I’d appreciate it.

Recruiting

Excambia High School (Florida)

Scout: 5-Star (No. 2 RB)

Rivals: 5-Star (No. 2 RB)

ESPN: No. 6 overall recruit

Richardson chose Alabama over offers from Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, LSU and South Carolina.

Video Highlights

Check out this video courtesy of TMBDraft.

Career Stats

2009: 14 Games, 145 carries, 751 rushing yards, 5.2 yards per carry, 8 rushing TDs, 16 catches, 126 receiving yards

2010: 13 games, 112 carries, 700 rushing yards, 6.3 yards per carry, 6 rushing TDs, 23 catches, 266 receiving yards, 4 receiving TDs

2011: 3 games, 50 carries, 315 rushing yards, 6.3 yards per carry, 8 rushing TDs, 6 catches, 36 receiving yards

NFL Comparison

Jacksonville’s Maurice Jones-Drew is definitely the first player who comes to mind when evaluating Trent Richardson.

Jones-Drew is a little shorter and stockier, but the two have very similar builds and running styles.

Ray Rice, Ahmad Bradshaw and Michael Turner are some other good examples.

The Forecast

Trent Richardson is on track to become the next big featured workhorse back in the NFL.

He's in the mold of guys like Rashard Mendenhall, Maurice Jones-Drew and Ray Rice.

Richardson still has to work on the little facets of his game like defensive recognition, pass-blocking and being a consistent weapon in the passing game, but from a natural ability standpoint, he’s the complete package.

Big, fast, strong and productive with the ball in his hands.

You really can’t ask for more than that.

Richardson is my top-rated running back for the 2012 class, and if he does go pro after this season, I expect him to be a Top 20 pick.

The Top 10 Running Back Prospects

1. Trent Richardson, Alabama (Jr.)

2. Andre Ellington, Clemson (Jr.)

3. David Wilson, Virginia Tech (Jr.)

4. Lamar Miller, Miami (R-Soph.)

5. LaMichael James, Oregon (Jr.)

6. Vick Ballard, Mississippi State (Sr.)

7. Chris Polk, Washington (Jr.)

8. Cyrus Gray, Texas A&M (Sr.)

9. Isaiah Pead, Cincinnati (Sr.)

10. Doug Martin, Boise State (Sr.)