Tag Archives: Trent Richardson
2012 NFL Draft: Evaluation of the first round
The 2012 draft started out with no surprises to anyone with the first two picks going to the Indianapolis Colts and the Washington Redskins picking Andrew Luck from Stanford number one overall and Robert Griffin III from Baylor. These two quarterbacks are the biggest names in the draft. They will always be compared to each other. Only time in the league will tell who has the better career.
Andrew Luck is called the NFL prototype QB with his size at 6ft. 4in. tall and weighing in at 234lbs. He is a good decision maker. He does not have the strongest arm, but he is very accurate. He is being compared to Peyton Manning, and those are very big shoes to fill. Luck has a lot of work ahead of him if the Colts are to be successful considering all the departures of key players.
Is Trent Richardson enough to turn around the Browns?
The Cleveland Browns might not have a quarterback but they now have a running back that some have said is the best prospect since Adrian Peterson.
The Browns only averaged 13.6 points a game under Colt McCoy and lost Peyton Hillis to Kansas City during free agency.
Team president Mike Holmgren knows the Browns still have work to do but by moving up and making sure they drafted Trent Richardson they are at least going in the right direction for a change.
Rumor has it: Jets interested in trading up to select Trent Richardson?
Before the NFL Draft the rumors start to swirl especially with the advancement of Twitter, but right now one of the biggest rumors is the New York Jets possibly trading up to select Trent Richardson.
Maurice Claiborne has been rumored as the potential third pick of the Minnesota Vikings but according to a number of sources on Twitter the Jets have at least inquired about the pick.
There is no doubt the New York Jets are in need of a solid running game to take pressure off Mark Sanchez and Tim Tebow isn’t going to cut it.
In the 2009 NFL Draft the Jets traded up 12 spots to select Shonn Greene and there was a time when Greene was slated as the long-term starter, but have those days passed?
2012 NFL Draft: 5 teams who should trade with Vikings
The 2012 NFL Draft is just 16 days away and as we know the top two picks, what we don’t know is how the rest of the draft will shakeout. Right now it seems most around the NFL have a set order in how the draft is going to play out within the first several picks, but the Minnesota Vikings may look to throw a wrench into things as they are shopping the third overall pick.
Rams like Richardson at 6: Steven Jackson out in St. Louis?
In one of the biggest steals in NFL history the St. Louis Rams pulled of a blockbuster trade with the Washington Redskins last week. The Rams exchanged their No. 2 pick in the first round of the upcoming NFL Draft for Washington’s No. 6 overall pick.
2012 NFL draft: Possible selections for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2011 was filled with promise for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as they had seemed to find their quarterback of the future in Josh Freeman, but like so many young quarterbacks around the league he has taken a step backwards.
As young and up and coming stars they see peaks and valley’s but such a dramatic turn around as Freeman and the Tampa Bay Bucaneers experienced can bring questions and attention to the problems.
2012 NFL draft: Possible selections for the Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns started off the 2011 NFL season with promise and a young quarterback in Colt McCoy and running back in Peyton Hillis. Now after the season is over it seems the ‘Dawg Pound’ is already searching for replacements after missing the playoffs once again.
Peyton Hillis has stated he still wants to be in Cleveland but after sitting out a number of games players and fans alike are questioning his heart, which is what got him to where he is in the first place.
While many mock drafts have Cleveland moving up and grabbing Robert Griffin III, but there are tons of options for a team that has two first round picks as the Browns do.
The Penalty Flag’s Mike Presley has Cleveland selecting the following two players in the first round;
Round 1, Pick 4: Trent Richardson RB Alabama: With Robert Griffin off to Washington, the Browns look elsewhere. Peyton Hillis is a Free Agent and there seemed to be issues with the team last year that makes me think he won’t be re-signed. Some say Trent is a better prospect than Mark Ingram and his numbers show why. He had 21 rushing touchdowns and ran for 1,679 yards last season. Richardson is the explosive player the Browns need to get their offense going.
- 2012 NFL draft: Trent Richardson RB Alabama (college-sports-university.com)
Ryan Tannehill
Round 1, Pick 22: Ryan Tannehill QB Texas A&M: It quite didn’t work out with Brady Quinn, and it seems things aren’t working out with Colt McCoy so let’s try this again. At first you don’t succeed, try, try, try, try and well eventually you have to get it right. This has been the main problem for the Browns, and just maybe Ryan Tannehill can be the guy. He threw for 3,744 yards and 29 touchdowns and also ran for 355 yards and four touchdowns. So not only can he make plays with his arm but also his feet.
- 2012 NFL draft: Ryan Tannehill QB Texas A&M (college-sports-university.com)
Rob Rang of CBSSportsline.com also has Richardson going to the Browns;
With two first-round picks due to their trade last year with the Atlanta Falcons, the Browns are in the best position to move up to secure the rights to Robert Griffin III. If they don’t make the trade up, Griffin isn’t likely to slip to them, meaning that the team would have to generate offense in another manner. Teams rarely are willing to invest this high of a pick in a running back any more but Richardson is an elite talent.
Mel Kiper of ESPN.com believes Cleveland might try and reunite RG3 and Baylor wide receiver Kendall Wright.
Given the makeup of the roster, and the fact that they have two first-round picks and can really enhance the level of young talent, I think the Browns are far more likely to look at a young QB prospect than get into the bidding war for a veteran like Manning, or even Matt Flynn. One question I have is whether Cleveland stays at this spot and hopes Griffin is still around, or gets aggressive and moves up to No. 2 and guarantees they get their guy. Given his experience, leadership qualities and overall skill set, I don’t see it as much of a leap for Griffin to be a Week 1 starter in 2012.
Cleveland needs help at wide receiver but may not be able to get it in free agency, and Wright is a player who can provide an element the Browns don’t have right now. The pick makes sense on both need and value. Wright quietly had a season that almost matched Blackmon’s in the Big 12. Greg Little was inconsistent but certainly showed a lot of promise as a rookie, and Wright is a good complement. He’s smaller at about 5-10, 190 pounds, but adds a speed threat this offense really needs. He’ll stretch the field with speed. The Browns need weapons, and Wright fits the profile.
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Erin Andrews
2012 Mock Draft: AFC North edition
As I continue my way around each division in this mock draft, we land in the AFC North where the winds of change certainly blew within the division. The Pittsburgh Steelers who have owned the North for quite some time, fell to the Baltimore Ravens, not once but twice. They also were a victim of Tim Tebow as the Denver Broncos were able to knock the Steelers right out of the playoffs in the wild card round. As for the Ravens, they struggled at times during the season with devastating losses to the Seattle Seahawks and Jacksonville Jaguars on the way to winning the AFC North. Yet they were able to pull through, make it all the way to the AFC Championship game and was a Lee Evans touchdown away from the Super Bowl.
While the Ravens and Steelers may own the AFC North, they should be worried about the young and upcoming Cincinnati Bengals. The Bengals helped the AFC North get three teams into the playoffs for the first time, and that was in part thanks to the success of second round rookie quarterback Andy Dalton. They have two first round picks in the upcoming draft and look to close the gap on the Ravens and Steelers. The Cleveland Browns also have two first round picks and are in prime position for a Franchise Quarterback, or are they?
Cleveland Browns:
Round 1, Pick 4: Trent Richardson RB Alabama: With Robert Griffin off to Washington, the Browns look elsewhere. Peyton Hillis is a Free Agent and there seemed to be issues with the team last year that makes me think he won’t be re-signed. Some say Trent is a better prospect than Mark Ingram and his numbers show why. He had 21 rushing touchdowns and ran for 1,679 yards last season. Richardson is the explosive player the Browns need to get their offense going.
Round 1, Pick 22: Ryan Tannehill QB Texas A & M: It quite didn’t work out with Brady Quinn, and it seems things aren’t working out with Colt McCoy so let’s try this again. At first you don’t succeed, try, try, try, try and well eventually you have to get it right. This has been the main problem for the Browns, and just maybe Ryan Tannehill can be the guy. He threw for 3,744 yards and 29 touchdowns and also ran for 355 yards and four touchdowns. So not only can he make plays with his arm but also his feet.
Cincinnati Bengals:
Round 1, Pick 17: Janoris Jenkins CB North Alabama: I was looking for a place to put him and I didn’t put him here because of the history of the Bengals taking troubled players. I put him here because the Bengals could use another corner after losing Jonathon Joseph last year in Free Agency. He doesn’t have good size at 5’9 but he has great speed to stay with receivers. He also is a threat in the return game with 390 return yards on the season with three touchdowns.
Round 1, Pick 21: Cordy Glenn Guard Georgia: He may be one of the most flexible offensive lineman in this draft. Not only can he play guard but he can play Tackle as well which will be a benefit for the Bengals if they ever decide to move on from Andre Smith. Glenn’s strength is run blocking and whether it’s Cedric Benson or some other running back, they will be thankful for Glenn’s presence on the Bengals’ offensive line.
Pittsburgh Steelers:
Round 1, Pick 24: Dontari Poe NT Memphis: Father time seems to have caught up to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Casey Hampton will be 35 a week before Week 1 of the 2012 season and will be coming off ACL surgery. Poe’s size at 6’5 makes him a massive lineman that will make it hard for any center to block. He totaled 33 tackles, eight tackles for loss, one sack and one forced fumble last season. Poe will play good in either a 3-4 or 4-3 system.
Baltimore Ravens:
Round 1, Pick 29: Mohamed Sanu WR Rutgers: This may shock some people but Sanu isn’t mocked to the Ravens due to Lee Evans dropping the touchdown pass in the AFC Title game. This has more to do with giving Joe Flacco another weapon along side Torrey Smith in the long haul. Anquan Boldin is 32 and it’s unsure how many more years he has left in him so drafting another receiver makes sense. Sanu has a combination of size, quickness, and speed, and he has good hands. He caught 115 passes for 1,206 yards and seven touchdowns. This will give Joe Flacco a good 1-2 punch at receiver with Smith and Sanu.
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Mike Presley is a NFL Featured Journalist for The Penalty Flag. He is a graduate of the Carolina School of Broadcasting and hosts a weekly NFL show on the schools radio station 89.3 The Storm entitled “The Front Seven.” Mike also writes for the racing website www.hardcoreracefans.com. Follow him on Twitter @mikepresley64.
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2012 NFL Mock Draft: Top 10 Picks
The 2012 NFL Draft Order is set, the only thing left is to order the remaining playoff teams and Draft season will be in full swing. The Indianapolis Colts won the Andrew Luck sweepstakes and hold the number one pick. It is guaranteed that they will be taking Andrew Luck to be Peyton Manning’s successor in Indianapolis. Jeff Fisher will have a tall task in St. Louis as he looks to be the next coach to take on the task of rebuilding the Rams, while Leslie Frazier’s first year in Minnesota didn’t quite go well. Mike Holmgren has the Cleveland Browns once again picking in the top ten but thanks to the trade with Atlanta, he will have an extra pick to help the Browns try to compete in the competitive AFC North. Meanwhile in Tampa Bay, the Buccaneers are going from a ‘youngry’ Raheem Morris to a coach who has yet to be named and will look to turn Tampa back into the team who won ten games in 2010. From there, the Jaguars, Redskins, Panthers, Dolphins and Bills round out your Top Ten draft order heading into the off-season.
Plenty of teams inside the top ten who need a QB, and with Matt Barkley and Landry Jones returning that will throw a wrench into the plans for those teams. Will that cause teams to trade ahead of Cleveland, who would most certainly take Robert Griffin in order to take Griffin before he falls to Cleveland. Some are going to have new coaches while others will have new General Managers. So I present to you, a Mock Draft covering the Top ten teams and project who they could draft in April.
1. Indianapolis Colts- Andrew Luck QB Stanford: This is a no brainer right here, Luck is going to be the future of Indianapolis. The only question that remains is what happens to Peyton Manning, will he be traded or will he stay and tutor Luck for a year or two before giving way to the Andrew Luck Era.
2. St. Louis Rams- Matt Kalil OT USC: Jeff Fisher’s very first task as the Head Coach of the Rams should be ensuring Sam Bradford doesn’t catch the David Carr syndrome. They have tried to fix the offensive line but with no prevail, Matt Kalil is a Franchise Left Tackle who can come in and protect Bradford for the next decade or so.
3. Minnesota Vikings- Justin Blackmon WR Ok. State: In 1998 the Vikings said hello to Randy Moss who was drafted 22nd overall and became a star player right away. In 2012, the Vikings say hello to their new Randy Moss, Justin Blackmon. Christian Ponder needs a legit number one receiver and with Blackmon on board joining Adrian Peterson, the Vikings offense should be much better next year.
4. Cleveland Browns- Robert Griffin III QB Baylor: Colt McCoy right now is doing nothing to show he can be a franchise quarterback. He was drafted in the third round so the Browns don’t have much invested in him and with a rookie wage scale, they can afford to draft Griffin. Now the question will be, will Griffin finally stop the quarterback carousel in Cleveland and finally provide them a franchise quarterback.
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Morris Claiborne CB LSU: Cornerback is the big issue for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers heading into the off-season. Ronde Barber will turn 37 before the Draft and is a Free Agent. Aquib Talib is one more offense away from being suspended from the league and has a court date in March, a month before the Draft. Claiborne is not only the best player available but he also fills a need. Tampa’s young defense gets better with the addition of Claiborne.
6. Washington Redskins- Alshon Jeffery WR South Carolina: To whomever will be the Redskins QB in 2012, I give you a present in the form of Alshon Jeffery. Now of course I do expect Washington to try to trade up for Robert Griffin but I don’t do trades this early. So assuming they stay at six, they get a weapon for either Grossman or Beck and whoever the franchise quarterback ends up being.
7. Jacksonville Jaguars: Quinton Coples DE UNC: Jacksonville loves drafting defensive lineman early and unfortunately they have drafted busts which leads to the more permanent fix in Coples. Coples has the perfect size, speed and athleticism to be a force for the Jaguars on defense. Coples ended the season with 7.5 sacks and in a division where you face Matt Schaub and Peyton Manning or Andrew Luck twice a year, you have to get to the Quarterback and Coples certainly will do that.
8. Miami Dolphins: Trent Richardson RB Alabama: This could be the first shocker here, but Richardson is the best player available here at eight. I know they drafted Daniel Thomas last year but with it being a two back league, Richardson can come in as the starter with Thomas and Bush taking over for Richardson on third downs or in goal line situations.
9. Carolina Panthers: Dre Kirkpatrick CB Alabama: The Panthers must work on their defense to make sure Newton doesn’t have to do everything. Carolina was ranked dead last against the pass and must do something to slow down other teams from beating them in the air. This is a good young team who I expect to be a playoff contender couple years down the line but must improve their defense in order to do so.
10. Buffalo Bills: Jonathon Martin OT Stanford: This is the best scenario for the Bills come Draft night. When the Bills suffered injuries to their offensive line and had to move players around, the offense suffered and so did Ryan Fitzpatrick. Demetrius Bell is not a franchise Left Tackle, while Jonathon Martin is. Martin can solidify the offensive line and ensure Ryan Fitzpatrick stays up right and the Bills can get back to the team who was 5-2.
Mike Presley is a NFL Featured Journalist for The Penalty Flag. He is a graduate of the Carolina School of Broadcasting and hosts a weekly NFL show on the schools radio station 89.3 The Storm entitled “The Front Seven.” Mike also writes for the racing website www.hardcoreracefans.com. Follow him on Twitter @mikepresley64.
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