Physical Richardson a ‘beast’ of a running back
Alabama running back Trent Richardson hasn’t touched the ball in the NFL, and Gary Brown has already fallen.
Earnest Byner wisely braced himself for contact or he might have shared the same fate. Ray Lewis might find himself a target, instead of the other way around.
Even President Barack Obama knows what it’s like to tangle with Richardson, the Doak Walker award winner as the nation’s top running back whom the Cleveland Browns could select with the fourth overall pick in the NFL Draft on Thursday.
Last week, when Alabama’s national championship team was honoured on the south lawn of the White House, Obama took note of the way Richardson scored in the BCS title victory over LSU.
“Richardson rushed for the only touchdown of the game in his usual fashion — like a boulder rolling downhill,” Obama said.
Richardson may be 5-foot-9 1/4 and 228 pounds, but the junior’s powerful, punishing style has been his calling card since he reported for eighth grade football in Pensacola, Fla., standing 5-8 and 190 pounds.
“He was bigger than the running backs we had in high school,” said Derrick Boyd, Richardson’s mentor, Escambia High School track and field coach. “When we got him out there, you knew he was destined to do great things. You could look at his body and see he was created to play football. He showed up as a man-child and now they’re calling him the beast.
“A lot of times when you have a guy who’s the biggest, strongest, fastest, you just show up and do it,” Boyd added. “Trent has never been that kind of kid. He doesn’t take for granted the God-given gifts he has. He’s always a guy who wants to do something extra.”
That was on display at Alabama’s pro day March 29. With several NFL assistants holding tackling dummies, Richardson attacked, knocking over Browns running backs coach Gary Brown, who played eight years in the NFL.