Top 10 Breakout Eagles: No. 2 Linebacker Max Richardson
Boston College has a new coach, Jeff Hafley, and with it comes a new offensive and defensive scheme. On top of that, having a new set of eyes on the roster could help to find novel and new ways to utilize players. Over the next few weeks BC Bulletin will unveil ten players who could be primed to have a breakout season in 2020. These players could have had solid seasons before but be on the cusp of something special, or they could be not used at all and earn a role in the new system.
Max Richardson is a name that almost every Boston College fan is already familiar with. Last season, he was one of the few bright spots on a defense that struggled mightily all season long finishing near the bottom in the country in every statistical measure. But Richardson had his moments. A linebacker out of Georgia, Richardson became a leader on defense and it was big news when he decided to withdraw from the NFL Draft and return to Chestnut Hill. A true leader on defense, Max Richardson looks to set the tone for Jeff Hafley's defense and could be set for a huge 2020 season.
The 2016 recruit has the typical Boston College recruitment story. A three star out of Georgia, Richardson only had one other Power 5 offer (Duke), before committing to the Eagles. As a true freshman he was a special teamer, appearing on 133 plays, and making ten tackles. His sophomore season looked to be promising, as he started the first four games of the year, making 23 tackles before a knee injury doomed his year. He was awarded a redshirt after the season.
His 2018 resumed his upward trajectory, but he still looked unpolished, like there was more underneath which made sense given that it was his first season as a true starterat linebacker. By the end of the year Richardson finished third on the team in tackles with 76, and 2.5 sacks.
Rewatching the gamefilm from that season, you can see glimpses of what was to come:
But it was 2019 where Richardson really started to show what he is capable of. He was all over the field, taking on the role of the playmaker, doing whatever he could to keep a struggling defense together. He had countless big plays during the season, showing off good instincts, solid speed, and at the point of attack was a very sure tackler. Unfortunately, his big plays were overshadowed by a defense that played extremely poorly last year.
Richardson finished the season Second Team All ACC, but with improved play around him and a new coaching staff and scheme 2020 could be special. Richardson has all the tools to be a dominant linebacker, a leader on defense, and could become a star in the ACC. With a healthy Isaiah McDuffie and John Lamot with him, Max Richardson could be bringing home some hardware this season, and become a leader on a defense that needs a better year in 2020.
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Top 10 Breakout Eagles: #10 Travis Levy
Top 10 Breakout Eagles: #9 Marcus Valdez
Top 10 Breakout Eagles: #8 Isaiah McDuffie
Top 10 Breakout Eagles: #7 Zay Flowers
Top 10 Breakout Eagles #6 Brandon Sebastian
Top 10 Breakout Eagles: #5 Hunter Long
Top 10 Breakout Eagles: #4 Tyler Vrabel
Top 10 Breakout Eagles: #3 David Bailey
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