How bad has the Colorado Football Program been in the past seven years? Really bad. They have had zero winning seasons, have lost to two FCS teams, have made just one bowl game, and have been irrelevant throughout the College Football landscape. Mike MacIntyre has come from San Jose State and in his first season, has led the Buffs to their first 2-0 start since 2008. In doing so, they have doubled their win total from a season ago.
While Coach Mac has been huge in orchestrating a fast start in 2013, no one has been bigger than junior wide receiver, Paul Richardson (P-Rich as they call him in Boulder). Richardson is the best player in the country you have never heard of. He has the kind of talent where, if healthy, he could be a First Team All-American performer at any other FBS school. Through two games, Richardson led the nation in receiving with 417 yards, after turning in two straight 200 yards receiving performances to begin the season. He racked up those 417 yards on 21 receptions and scored four touchdowns in the process. He is also averaging 19.9 yards per reception in 2013. To give some context to those video game statistics, through two games, the Iowa Hawkeyes as a team had gained 449 yards through the air.
After sitting out all of 2012 with a knee injury, Richardson has returned in full force. Injuries have been a concern for him throughout his career. After a promising start to 2011, including a 284 yard receiving performance against Cal, Richardson suffered a knee injury that caused him to miss four games in the middle of the season.
This time is different, however. P-Rich has said numerous times that he believes he is stronger, and faster than he was before the injury. He also believes that he is ready to start taking on extra defensive attention that will most certainly start coming his way.
I have studied film of the top eligible wide receiver prospects for this 2014 draft. Names like Sammy Watkins of Clemson, Marqise Lee of USC, and Jordan Matthews of Vanderbilt are at the top of that list. If Paul Richardson can have a healthy 2013 season, then he has the talent to compete with any of those top-tier wide receiver prospects.
