Le profil détaillé de Trent Richardson :
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Richardson does it all against Auburn
After his 27-carry, 203-yard performance in a 42-14 win over rival Auburn, it's easy for even the casual fan to see why Alabama RB Trent Richardson is considered by many to be the front-runner for the Heisman Trophy.
Richardson has carried a Crimson Tide offense that entered the season with a new starting quarterback and looking to replace an elite receiver in Julio Jones. His impressive season (263 carries, 1,583 yards, 20 TD; 27 catches, 327 yards, 3 TD) could very well make him the second Alabama back in the last three years to win the Heisman, following Mark Ingram in 2009.
Not surprisingly, Richardson is also the top running back on Scouts Inc.'s 2012 NFL draft board, and he is likely to come off the board higher than Ingram, whom the New Orleans Saints took with the 28th overall pick in 2011.
What makes Richardson so special? Here's a look at how he fared against Auburn from a scouting perspective, with a breakdown of his skills in each of the position-specific areas we use to evaluate running back prospects. Categories are graded from 1 to 5, with 1 being the highest grade.
Competitiveness: 1
There's nothing Richardson won't do to help his team, including blocking. Against Auburn, he was asked to lead WR Marquis Maze on a running play and stepped up and put Tigers CB Jonathon Mincy on his back. Richardson even got into position to pick up a rushing defender after tossing the ball back to QB A.J. McCarron on a flea-flicker. There is also, of course, his effort as a runner. Richardson fights for every possible inch on every single carry, and he has not worn down despite getting more than 20 carries in each of his last four games.
Notable play: first-and-10, Alabama 47-yard line, 8:11 remaining in first quarter
Alabama runs play-action, so Richardson isn't the focal point of this play and he knows it. That's not reflected in the way he plays this snap, though. Instead of just ducking down after the fake and taking a couple of steps toward the line of scrimmage, Richardson lowers his shoulder and helps put 290-pound DT Kenneth Carter on his back. It's a testament to the way he plays hard on every snap, no matter what he's asked to do.
Vision/Patience: 1
Richardson was quick without hurrying against Auburn, letting his blockers get into position before accelerating through the hole and following his pulling offensive linemen well. There's also a lot to like about the way he read the flow of the defense. He recognized the Tigers overpursuing at times, and exploited the resulting cutback lane on more than one occasion.
Notable play: second-and-6, Alabama 27, 8:26 second quarter
Richardson shows off his power with a strong stiff-arm, and also his impressive burst on this 57-yard run. His vision and patience are on full display as well. Richardson quickly locates a seam and shifts into another gear, but rather than simply lowering his shoulder or running out of bounds when he's boxed in, he recognizes the defense overpursuing, slows down and breaks back across the field.
Agility/Acceleration: 2
Richardson doesn't have the top-end speed of Chris Johnson and he isn't an ankle breaker like LeSean McCoy, but he has above-average foot speed and initial quickness for a back his size (5-foot-11, 224 pounds). He can press the line of scrimmage and then bounce outside, and his ability to quickly change speeds quickly can cause defenders to overrun the play and miss tackles when he gets into space.
Notable play: first-and-10, Alabama 31, 13:55 third quarter
Richardson runs left and doesn't have to hesitate because his blockers open up a big crease for him. Once he gets to the second level, though, he recognizes Tigers DB Neiko Thorpe flying upfield, bounces outside to avoid him, and then turns on the jets for a 35-yard gain.
Power/Balance: 1
Richardson is a wrecking ball out of the backfield, and against the Tigers he ran downhill and consistently fell forward on inside runs. His lower-body strength appears to be above-average, and his ability to finish runs with a quick burst allows him to deliver the blow at the point of contact rather than absorbing it.
Notable play: third-and-4, Auburn 28, 12:17 third quarter
Richardson follows the block of his right guard and gets a nice seam. Auburn S Demetruce McNeal spins him around with an arm-tackle attempt, but isn't able to get Richardson to the ground. He maintains his balance, gets his shoulders turned back upfield and drives his legs, dragging four Auburn defenders for at least three more yards. It's that much more impressive when you consider the down and distance and the way he protects the ball with two hands.
Passing Game: 3
His grade might seem a bit low, but Richardson's ball skills and ability to anchor in pass protection are two reasons he grades out higher than Ingram did in this area. And remember, this grade is based solely on the Auburn film. A dropped pass in the second quarter coupled with his lack of production hurt Richardson in this area, but his blocking was impressive. He recognized pressure, got into position and held his ground well throughout the game.
Notable play: first-and-goal, Auburn 5, 9:11 second quarter
While there's nothing spectacular here, it's the best example from this game of Richardson's ability to contribute as a receiver out of the backfield. He slips into the flat, locates the ball, plucks it out of the air and has enough body control to break the plane before drifting out of bounds.