LSU Tigers vs. Alabama Crimson Tide Matchup Preview: CB Morris Claiborne vs. RB Trent Richardson

Not only are Morris Claiborne and Trent Richardson both potential top ten picks, they are also both potential targets for the Denver Broncos in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft.

Nevertheless, this isn’t really a great on-field matchup but a matchup of two guys who are probably destined to be two of the highest selected players from each respective team.

Richardson currently leads my Heisman poll, and Claiborne has risen to the top spot on my cornerbacks rankings. When NFL scouts watch this tape over and over again, these are guys I think will consistently jump out as playmakers, players who can make an instant impact at the next level.

Here is my pre-season scouting report of Trent Richardson:

Keep an eye on Richardson as a potential Heisman trophy candidate. After pairing with Mark Ingram the last two years, Richardson is ready for a full load and could be one of the nation’s most powerful and dominant running backs. In fact, I wouldn’t be shocked to see him finish a fully healthy season with more than 2,000 yards on the ground, and I would put him right behind Andrew Luck as the top Heisman candidate as of right now. This is a guy who is relentless, and not just on the field, but off. Richardson is an absolute beast in the weight room, and consistently puts in the time and effort. He averaged over six yards per carry last year, and really developed as a receiver as well. He is one of the best players in the country, and has the potential to be a top 10 pick in the 2012 draft if he declares. He might be the best RB prospect to come along since Adrian Peterson in the class of 2007.

Here is my scouting report on LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne: (click on the link for the current scouting report)

Morris Claiborne burst on to the scene as a sophomore in 2010 when he led the Tigers with five interceptions and made second team All-SEC. The big test for Claiborne now will be filling the shoes of Patrick Peterson, a player regarded as one of the best defensive prospects to ever come along. Coming out of high school, Claiborne was an “athlete” playing quarterback, receiver, and defensive back in high school, and clearly LSU made the right choice putting him on defense where he broke out as a sophomore. Became a full time starter in 2010 and will be the number one corner, and because of his abilities as a receiver and quarterback knows what to do with the ball in his hands. Could emerge as one of the top cornerback prospects for the class of 2013, and is a candidate to leave early after this season.