Trent Richardson reflection
By: Jake Rajala
Trent Richardson was once a menace at the University of Alabama. He came out of a school that also had Mark Ingram, Derrick Henry, and many more bull-dozing RBs. Richardson earned his draft spot as third overall by the Cleveland Browns in the 2012 draft.
Richardson didn’t garner OROY votes, but he showed potential. The bowling ball had 950 rushing yards and 11 rushing TDs in his rookie season.
To keep it real, Richardson fell off a cliff after his rookie season. He had 563 rushing yards and three rushing TDs in his second NFL season. He then registered 519 yards. Then lights out.
Richardson never excelled in the NFL. He couldn’t read the gaps or hit the hole running fast. He was one of the biggest busts at the RB spot of all time. Even Ricky Williams or Reggie Bush had more impressive careers at the RB spot.
Let it be known that Trent tried the CFL route and the Mexican league, but he wasn’t able to carve his own path of excellence. Trent is 35 years old, so he can kiss a comeback goodbye.
Trent was compared to Marshawn Lynch, coming out of college. He was able to drag defenders down like Lynch down the field. It was just rare for Trent to have momentum going into the second level. He had patience like Le’Veon Bell, but he didn’t know how to use it.
The Browns once traded Richardson to the Colts for a first round pick. It’s safe to say that the Colts got robbed, and it was one of the worst trades in the 21st century.
The Raiders currently have a rookie RB by the name of Ashton Jeanty, who was taken in the Top-10 of the 2025 draft. Hopefully, he can go in the opposite direction that Richardson went after the rookie season.
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