Last week's NFL draft chatter felt like a formulaic horror movie with multiple sequels: When Scouts Attack.
Robert Griffin IIIwas the first victim, Matt Kalilwas next, and Coby Fleenergot axed over the weekend. We are happy to tell you that one man is too strong to be taken down by the omnipresent "unnamed scout."
Alabama's Trent Richardson is indestructible.
"Rare is the player who can escape the National Football League's version of the Great Inquisition without being nitpicked to death," Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel writes. "Trent Richardson, the irrepressible running back from Alabama, is the exception. The NFL people don't just like Richardson. They almost worship the ground upon which he walks."
McGinn polled 20 scouts about the top running back in the draft. All 20 picked Richardson. Only two other backs in the last 10 years were unanimous picks -- Adrian Peterson and Reggie Bush.
Scouts see Richardson as a far superior player than they did Mark Ingram a year ago. Doug Martin narrowly edged out David Wilson for the second spot in the poll. Lamar Miller and LaMichael James rounded out the top five.
"There's one running back," one personnel director said. "All the rest are complementary backs."
There probably were some negative things said about those complementary backs, but let's ignore them for now. It's nice to focus on the positive on this rainy Monday morning, just a few blocks away from Radio City Music Hall, where Richardson will give Roger Goodell a man hug three nights from now.
Richardson shouldn't have to wait long for his moment; we doubt he makes it past the Cleveland Browns at No. 4.
