Trent Richardson a strong possibility for the Rams at No. 6

By: @LivingCrimson

The Alabama strongman is strongly coveted by the former Greatest Show on Turf, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

The Rams now have three of the top 39 picks in the 2012 draft after trading their No. 2 pick to Washington. So wherever Trent Richardson is spotted in the first round, St. Louis has a legitimate shot of snapping him up. But it’s the No. 6 pick believed by many scouts to be the most likely destination for Richardson:

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“[I]n what's widely considered a 'six-player" draft — meaning six elite prospects — the Rams are now sitting on the edge of that territory. There appears to be no doubt that Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck (to Indianapolis) and Griffin will go 1-2.

From a Rams' perspective what happens if Southern California offensive tackle Matt Kalil, Oklahoma State wide receiver Justin Blackmon and Louisiana State cornerback Morris Claiborne are the next three picks, in order, to Minnesota, Cleveland and Tampa Bay?

That would leave only Alabama running back Trent Richardson left among the top six. … [T]here are a lot of people around the league who think Richardson, currently rehabbing from knee surgery, is a special talent. Including the Rams. Multiple sources, both inside and outside Rams Park, say the team thinks very highly of Richardson.”

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Despite three-time Pro Bowler Steven Jackson currently in the backfield, St. Louis new head coach Jeff Fisher likes to take running backs in the first round, and may see Trent Richardson as the arbiter for success in the franchise’s future.

NFL analyst and former Rams scout Dave Razano agrees the No. 6 pick for Richardson makes sense. "If you're picking the best available player, it could easily be him. He's a thoroughbred. And he's more of a home-run threat than Jackson."

Another NFL analyst and former Rams scout, Matt Littlefield, concurs. "I know a lot of people say you don't take a running back in the top 10, but you do if he's a dominant player. Adrian Peterson is a dominant player, and Richardson is, too."

Multiple teams in the top 15 have expressed interest in Richardson. If the Rams ultimately decide not to pick him, it appears almost certain the Crimson Tide ultimate athlete and two-time National Champion will still go very high in the draft.

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