Alabama All-
Americans Trent Richardson, Dont'a Hightower
and Dre Kirkpatrick have declared for the NFL draft.
Richardson and Kirkpatrick announced their
decisions to skip their senior seasons with the
national champions while a spokesman says
Hightower also isn't returning.
Richardson and Kirkpatrick are both projected as
potential Top 10 picks.
Richardson won the Doak Walker Award as the
nation's top running back and was third in the
Heisman voting. He set school single-season
rushing records with 1,679 yards and 21
touchdowns.
He and Hightower were first-team AP All-America
selections while Kirkpatrick was a second-teamer.
The Tide lost three underclassmen to the NFL last
year, but wound up beating LSU 21-0 in Monday
night's national title game. Kirkpatrick and
Richardson were part of two national
championship teams.
