Is Trent Richardson going to be the Cleveland Browns 1st top five running back selection in team history?

As the 2012 NFL Draft slowly approaches, all signs are beginning to point to Alabama’s RB Trent Richardson being the 4th overall selection by the Cleveland Browns. This would mark the 1st time ever in franchise history the Browns would select a running back in the top five. But it would be the fourth time the club has selected a running back in the top ten. So that being said let’s look at the three previous running backs that the Browns have selected in the top ten of the Draft, but first let us begin with an honorable mention.

Ernie Davis 1st overall pick 1962
Selected number 1 overall in the 1962 draft by the Washington Redskins was Syracuse running back Ernie Davis. At the time Cleveland had two hall of fame running backs in Jim Brown and Bobby Mitchell. Art Modell made a trade with the Redskins in December of 1962 sending Mitchell to the Redskins for Ernie Davis to complete what Modell called “His dream backfield”. However Davis never played a down for Cleveland passing away in May of 1963 from Leukemia. The reason I included Davis in this article is although he was drafted by the Redskins, Davis would have played his rookie year as a Brown.

Jim Brown 6th overall pick 1957

When you speak of great Cleveland Browns running backs the list MUST start with Jim Brown. Brown was selected by the Cleveland 6th overall out of Syracuse. He is arguably the greatest running back of all time with12,312 rushing yards in just nine seasons. He had an unbelievable 5.2 yards per carry average, and scored a total of 106 touchdowns. Even though Brown ranks 9th all time in total rushing yards, no Hall of Fame running back has a better average in yards per carry. Jim Brown ran with a bruising style that became the hallmark of Cleveland Browns football.

Mike Pruitt 7th overall pick 1976

Mike Pruitt was selected by Cleveland 7th overall from Purdue in 1976.  Pruitt was a productive back for the Browns for many years having played a total of 11 seasons (9 with the Browns). He rushed for a total of 7,378 yards and 51 rushing touchdowns. Pruitt earned 2 pro bowl appearances while in Cleveland going in 1979, and 1980. He is still in the top 50 in total rushing yards in NFL history and was a lynchpin for the browns in the late 70’s and early 80’s.

“Touchdown Tommy” Vardell 9th overall pick 1992

“Touchdown Tommy” was selected by Cleveland 9th overall in the 1992 draft out of Stanford. Vardell was touted as a touchdown machine scoring 37 times in his college career for the Stanford Cardinals including (Al Bundy’s claim to fame) four touchdowns in a single game against Notre Dame. Although for the Browns Vardell struggled scoring only 3 touchdowns for Cleveland and only 18 touchdowns in his entire NFL career. He had very little production totaling just 1,427 yards in his 8 years in the NFL.

So if Richardson is indeed selected by the Browns at the #4 pick it would be only the 4th time in team history a running back was taken in the tip 10. Other Running backs selected this high by other teams in recent history include Reggie Bush (2nd overall 2008), C.J. Spiller (9th overall 2010) and Adrian Peterson (7th overall 2007). NFL scouts and analysts say that Richardson is the best running back to come out of the draft since the previously mentioned Peterson.  IF this is the selection that Cleveland makes it should pay dividends for the foreseeable future.

Michael W. Youngman

(Lead Analyst C.B.R.)

Tags: draft , latest