Jim Brown made noise Thursday by calling Trent Richardson "ordinary" before the NFL draft. It's now Richardson's job to prove he can live up to Brown's legacy in Cleveland as a bruising, difference-making running back.
"I'm going to try to prove him wrong," Richardson said after he was selected with the third pick, which the Browns acquired in a trade with the Minnesota Vikings. "I'm an ordinary human, but as a back, I'm going to be that special guy."
Jim Brown was perhaps the greatest football player of all time. Cleveland will be happy if Richardson makes a few Pro Bowls. The Browns weren't the only team that saw Richardson as extraordinary. Browns general manager Tom Heckert's friend, Vikings GM Rick Spielman, told Heckert the Browns had a competing offer to move up for Richardson.
"I beat it," Heckert said. "We were pretty fired up. Trent was the guy we really wanted, and I'm glad it worked out."
The Tampa Bay Buccaneersreportedly were the team that tried to trade up. Perhaps the Vikings weren't creating smokescreens after all.
