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| Trent Richardson | |
|---|---|
| Name | Trent Richardson |
| Position | Running back |
| Birth date | October 10, 1990 |
| Birth place | Pensacola, Florida, U.S. |
| Height | 5 ft 9 in |
| Weight | 224 lb |
| College | University of Alabama |
| Draft | 2012 NFL Draft, Round 1, Pick 3 (Cleveland Browns) |
| Teams | Cleveland Browns; Indianapolis Colts; Oakland Raiders; Canadian Football League; Saskatchewan Roughriders |
Trent Richardson is an American former professional American football running back who played in the National Football League and the Canadian Football League. A consensus All-American at the University of Alabama, he was selected third overall in the 2012 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns. Richardson won multiple collegiate championships and became a focal point of several high-profile transactions and controversies during his professional career.
Born in Pensacola, Florida, Richardson attended Escambia High School and later Westlake High School in Atlanta, Georgia. As a prep standout he played under coaches at programs with histories linked to athletes from Florida and Georgia, competing in events including the Georgia–Florida game circuit and regional combines associated with Nike and Under Armour. He drew national attention through performances in state championship games, recruiting camps, and the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, attracting scholarship offers from major programs such as Auburn University, Clemson University, Florida State University, Ohio State University, and University of Alabama.
At the University of Alabama, Richardson played under head coach Nick Saban in the Southeastern Conference. He contributed to Alabama teams that won the BCS National Championship Game and later the College Football Playoff precursor titles, participating in matchups against programs like LSU, Texas, Florida, and Notre Dame. Richardson earned accolades including Doak Walker Award consideration and was named a consensus All-American. His statistical production featured standout games in the Sugar Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, and Iron Bowl rivalry contests versus Auburn. He drew coaching praise from staff including Kirby Smart and offensive coordinators who scheme against defenses such as Alabama rivals in the SEC Championship Game.
Richardson entered the 2012 NFL Draft and was selected third overall by the Cleveland Browns in a pick covered extensively by ESPN, NFL Network, Sports Illustrated, and The New York Times. He began his rookie season facing defenses like the Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers, and New England Patriots, accumulating rushing yardage and touchdowns. In 2013 he was traded to the Indianapolis Colts in a deal involving first-round picks connected to team executives and coaches including Jim Irsay and Chuck Pagano. His tenure with the Colts ended amid roster changes involving personnel such as Andrew Luck and led to brief stints with the Oakland Raiders and later ventures into the Canadian Football League with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. During his professional career Richardson faced suspensions, injury listings on team reports with medical staff, and transactions logged by the NFLPA and front offices of franchises including the Cleveland Browns and Indianapolis Colts.
Richardson's NFL totals were tracked by statistical aggregators such as Pro-Football-Reference.com, ESPN Stats & Information, and NFL.com. His career rushing attempts, rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns were recorded across seasons when he played for teams facing opponents such as the Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, San Francisco 49ers, and Green Bay Packers. Seasonal splits included performances in Monday Night Football, Sunday Night Football, and divisional matchups within the AFC North and AFC South, with game logs cataloged in franchise media guides and league archives.
Analysts from outlets including Bleacher Report, The Athletic, Sports Illustrated, and CBS Sports compared Richardson’s power-running style to predecessors and contemporaries like Edgerrin James, Marshawn Lynch, Adrian Peterson, and Maurice Jones-Drew. Scouting reports from the NFL Scouting Combine and evaluations by coaches such as Pete Carroll and Mike Tomlin emphasized his downhill running, contact balance, and burst between the tackles, while critics highlighted pass protection and receiving route nuances. His draft status was debated on programs like Good Morning Football, The Dan Patrick Show, and newspapers such as The Washington Post and Los Angeles Times, fueling discussions about valuation of running backs in the modern NFL Draft era.
Richardson’s personal life intersected with communities in Alabama, Ohio, Indiana, and Saskatchewan. He has been involved with charitable initiatives tied to foundations often supported by NFL players, participating in youth football camps, community outreach events coordinated with team foundations, and appearances covered by local outlets such as The Cleveland Plain Dealer, The Indianapolis Star, and The Birmingham News. Off the field he has been associated with mentors and agents connected to firms in New York City and Los Angeles, and his post-football endeavors have included training, mentorship, and media conversations about athlete transitions featured on platforms such as ESPN Radio and regional sports networks.
Category:American football running backs Category:1990 births Category:Living people