2018 NFL Draft Profile: Running back Demario Richard

Former ASU football running back Demario Richard led the Sun Devils in rushing for three consecutive seasons. What are some of the skills he could bring to a NFL roster?

If you’ve followed Demario Richard at any point during his football career, you’d know one thing by the time he left a program:

He didn’t fail to leave a legacy.

Prior to playing a down of football at Arizona State, Richard enjoyed a standout high school career at Palmdale High School in Palmdale, California.

In only three years of varsity football, he tallied 4,251 yards on the ground and 63 career rushing touchdowns, boosting his status as a four-star recruit and Scout.com’s No. 28 running back in the nation.

Four years later, Richard left Tempe as one of the most consistent ball carriers in the history of the program.

Despite sharing touches with Kalen Ballage and struggling through an injury-riddled junior season, Richard finished fourth on the all-time Sun Devil rushing yards list with 3,202 to go along with 26 career rushing touchdowns.

Now, Richard will look to create another legacy at the highest level possible in the National Football League.

Let’s take a look at how he stands as an NFL Draft prospect.

Skillset

Richard’s senior season was arguably his most impressive in a Sun Devil uniform.

After struggling with issues in his core and leg during his junior year, he bounced back with a career high of 12 rushing touchdowns combined with 1,027 total rushing yards on 5.2 yards per carry in 2017.

At five-feet, 10-inches tall and 220 pounds, Richard proved to be at his best when using his compact frame to power through defenders in short yardage situations. His surprising blend of agility often gave him the ability to finish scoring plays like the one below.

One of the biggest advantages that Richard carries in his game is his lower body strength.

Last season, he often made it looking easy while breaking free from tackles and advancing through initial contact.

His natural tendency to push forward as a runner complemented by his high motor often gave ASU the extra yards they needed to pick up a first down or create a big play out of the backfield.

In open space, Richard would also resort to a spin move or use his footwork to create a quick change of direction while continuing to move up the field.

Along with his power run game, Richard has the ability to show positional versatility with his experience as a receiver. In his Sun Devil career, he tallied 69 receptions for 662 yards and seven touchdowns.

However, what may haunt Richard at the professional level is his below-average speed and acceleration at his size.

According to Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller, the lack of those two qualities may ultimately limit the snaps he can get in the NFL.

"Richard will struggle to garner any meaningful snaps in the NFL. At best, he’s a short-yardage back and a limited gap-scheme runner. He may convince an NFL team to give him a shot on the practice squad with the athletic versatility to mirror a variety of roles in the NFL. The overall lack of long speed and vision, paired with poor acceleration, is a major concern for a player his size."

Many scouts have also been critical of Richard’s inclination to bulldoze through defenders rather than evade them through gaps. His lack of vision up the field often costs him from seeing openings beyond the first hole, and when he does break free, he sometimes won’t have the extra burst necessary to outrun secondary defenders.

For now, Richard would best be suited to specialize in third-and-short and goal-line situations while giving teams an added sense of toughness at the line of scrimmage. However, being limited to this style of running may hurt his chances to fill the roles of a NFL running back, and it keeps him at a high risk of injury.

Measurables

Richard participated at the NFL Scouting Combine back in the spring.  And the measurables he posted at the combine compared to other running back prospects:

40-Yard Dash: 4.7 seconds (22nd)

Bench Press (225 Pounds): 12 reps (T-26th)

Vertical Jump: 29.5 inches (28th)

Broad Jump: 115.0 inches (20th)

Here are some of the numbers that Richard posted on Arizona State’s Pro Day back on March 14:

40-Yard Dash: 4.7 seconds

20-Yard Shuttle: 4.31 seconds

3-Cone Drill: 7.61 seconds

NFL analyst Lance Zierlein provided this analysis of Richard at the conclusion of his combine workouts.

"Stocky power back with willingness to attack each run with physicality but lacking the burst and vision to make his job any easier. He doesn’t have the special teams or pass-catching production to excite teams so he may have to try and earn a spot as an undrafted free agent."

NFL Draft Projection:

Lance Zierlein (NFL.com): Undrafted

Draftanalyst.com: Undrafted

Draftscout.com: No. 46 RB out of 167

Matt Miller (Bleacher Report): No. 35 RB on Top RBs for 2018 NFL Draft

Next: 2018 NFL Draft Profile: Defensive End JoJo Wicker