Paul Richardson Seahawks Rookie Profile: Speed Is King

PAUL RICHARDSON

Position: Wide Receiver

School: Colorado Buffaloes

Measurables: 6’0″, 175 lbs

How Acquired: Picked in the 2nd round of the 2014 NFL Draft (pick 45)

How can the Seahawks use him?

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Paul Richardson takes the offense ‘next level’, so to speak. Russell Wilson had speed to use on the outside previously, no doubt, but Richardson is so good at getting a clean release and getting on top of his matchup that he’ll put more immediate pressure on the safeties than any of the Hawk receivers have been able to previously. He’s one of those players that you simply cannot ignore and cover with a 1-on-1 matchup.

Previously, that matchup favor did not exist for Seattle. Not only will he afford Wilson more shots down the field this way, he’ll also keep the defense more honest in their box concepts, allowing Marshawn Lynch, Christine Michael, Robert Turbin, Percy Harvin and even Wilson himself more space to operate when the Hawks decide to run.

Best Attribute

Richardson brings a ton of speed to the Seattle receiving corps and it’s difficult to imagine the Hawks having gotten a better value in terms of offensive weaponry at the 45 spot in the draft. After being picked, Mike Mayock described Richardson this way:

"That’s a Pete Carroll pick right there. Richardson is pure speed; think of a poor man’s DeSean Jackson. Richardson can take the lid off a defense. The Seahawks just got a bunch of speed.”"

Think about this, Richardson is two inches TALLER than Jackson and according to the official times of both, is actually .02 seconds FASTER as well. That’s right, Desean’s 40 time is a known 4.35, while Richardson ran a 4.33 at the NFL scouting combine. Let’s not quibble over semantics though, the fact is Seattle didn’t get a “poor man’s” anything, they got exactly what Desean was coming out of college, and without the character concerns. Think about this also, Percy Harvin’s known speed is 4.41…

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