Part of the fun of being a fan of the NFL Draft is comparing players in the upcoming class to those already in the NFL. We’re going to start doing that looking at one player on offense and one on defense.
2012 NFL Draft player comparisons: Trent Richardson and Morris Claiborne
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Player: Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama
Comparison: Michael Turner, RB, Atlanta Falcons
Don't scoff at this solely because Turner has only two seasons of more than 1,000 yards rushing in his eight-year career. That's due largely to injuries and playing behind Ladanian Tomlinson in his prime. Purely as a running back, Richardson runs with a lot of power and typically doesn't go down on first contact, much like Turner. When Turner came out of Northern Illinois, don't forget he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.49 seconds. It's a time Richardson should beat, but the comparison is more for what the two do in areas of 10 yards or less.
Player:
, CB, LSU
Comparison: Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB, Philadelphia Eagles
From purely a body standpoint, this is an apt comparison even though Claiborne is a couple inches shorter than Rodgers-Cromartie. The comparison is made though for much more than their similar stature. Rodgers-Cromartie and Claiborne have exceptional change-of-direction ability, good speed and superb body control. The big negative on both is the ability to jam wide receivers at the line. Claiborne should try to add more strength, but thus far it hasn’t been too big of a detriment for DRC.
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