21 Players in 21 Days: #6 Demani Richardson

Demani Richardson

Position: Safety
Classification: Junior
Hometown: Waxahachie, TX
Listed Height: 6-1
Listed Weight: 210

Key notes from Liucci’s analysis of Richardson

• The physical traits jump out, whether he’s walking in at TexAgs to do an interview or walking out on the practice field. I’ve talked to three scouts about him this week. Demani is a guy that jumps out on the field and jumps out pre-snap. He jumps out when you watch the defense play.
   
• He’s not there yet, but I’ve been pretty vocal about the fact that I’d have him as a potential preseason All-SEC pick and a potential first-round guy next year if he stays for another season.
   
• Demani Richardson is a guy that has a lot of thinking to do because he’s not projected to go that high yet, but he has those physical traits about him. He has an NFL style to his game and what he could do closer to the line of scrimmage.
   
• Richardson can really play and flashes it. He's physical and makes plays. He finds the ball and has range. For his size, he’s very fast. The amount of ground he can cover when the ball is in the air is impressive.
   
• Injuries have held him back, and he has played hurt some. There is a lot of toughness about him.
   
• I think this could be a breakout season. If there is an Aggie that could sneak into first-team All-SEC contention that isn’t already in the conversation, I'd look at Ainias Smith and Demani Richardson.
   
• That extra step and extra confidence could play into his game this year. He has started since day one. He was thrown into the fire and hasn’t blinked. He has held off younger guys and passed up older players. He has already played a ton of football, so he has plenty of experience and confidence. He has an All-SEC ceiling and could be a real difference-maker for this defense this fall.
   
• A&M has a good defensive front. They have experienced corners now. Richardson is playing alongside an experienced Leon O'Neal. Richardson will be freed up to go play football this year.
   
• I could see him being a five-interception guy this year. We need to see that. Mike Elko compared him to Donovan Wilson, and in Wilson's sophomore year, he had a hand in 11 turnovers. That’s an unusually high number, but we've seen Demani make a pick and cause another against Vanderbilt in a game the Aggies might've lost. He had a pick in the endzone against Tua Tagovailoa as a freshman. The LSU game and the interception by Jaylon Jones was deflected by Demani, and that was a game-changing play that helped A&M keep LSU at bay.

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