Thursday night Trent Richardson became Alabama’s first ever Doak Walker award recipient and Barrett Jones became the third Tide player to bring home the Outland Trophy. Former Outland trophy winners for Alabama include Andre Smith and Chris Samuels, which puts Jones in the company of two Alabama legends.
I spoke with someone inside the program that suggested Jones could become the first player to win the award two years in a row if he decides to forego the draft. Jones has already received his degree and is draft eligible, but that doesn’t mean he will be bolting for the NFL this year. His younger brother Harrison is an Alabama tight end and has been impressing coaches in his efforts to secure playing time when current starters Smelley and Williams graduate.
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Family is important to the Jones boys, and it has always been a dream of theirs to play beside each other at the college level. If Barrett hangs around for his senior season that dream will likely
become a reality, and the potential may be just enough to keep the big guy around one more year.
Football is certainly a family affair for them and it doesn’t stop with Barrett and Harrison either. Walker Jones is the youngest of the three brothers and is a class of 2013 linebacker prospect who has been a staple at every football camp hosted by the Tide in recent years. He is the only one playing on the defensive side of the ball, and is garnering some serious interest from the Tide staff.
Winning the Outland trophy will almost certainly propel Barrett straight to the first round of the draft if he declares himself eligible. Only time will tell, but returning to Alabama next year would make him the early favorite to win the coveted trophy for a second consecutive year.
Trent Richardson has always been an impressive player on the field, but last night he impressed the nation off the field, and it was a joy to see him rewarded for his hard work. It’s no secret to the
Tide faithful that Trent is an impressive young man and his superstar qualities extend far beyond the playing field. The nation of college football fans got a glimpse of the young man we have all come to know and love at the college football awards show.
Trent is and has always been the embodiment of a team player, and his humble demeanor and love for his family and teammates is a breath of fresh air; especially with all the negative press surrounding college sports these days. In a world where there is so much talk about what’s wrong with college sports, Trent Richardson represents everything that’s right about it.
Many fans and Heisman voters will judge Trent by his numbers and by the stat sheets come Saturday night in New York, when the Heisman trophy is presented. Looking at the big picture and digging a little deeper than production on the field reveals not only one of the best players in the country, it reveals one of the best human beings you will ever meet. I have no doubt that if the Heisman trophy was truly awarded to the best all-around player in the country instead of the most popular, Trent would be a shoo-in. Whether he walks away with the prize or not, he has cemented his place in record books and the hearts of fans all over the country. Trent Richardson is truly a first-class player, teammate, father and a role model for the entire generation of Bama fans.