Last January, Max Richardson decided to forgo the NFL draft and return to the Heights for his fifth year of eligibility, citing his absence from Boston College’s bowl game due to a hamstring injury as his reason for staying. With the full 2020 season under his belt, Richardson chose to make the jump to the pro level, announcing on Tuesday that he would be declaring for the 2021 NFL Draft.
The announcement came via Richardson’s Instagram account.
Richardson was a mainstay of the Eagles’ defense over the last three seasons, ranking in the top three on the team in tackles all three years. He finished his BC career with 315 total tackles and 32 tackles for loss. His 2019 season was particularly prolific, as he racked up a team-leading 107 tackles and 14 tackles for loss. Both marks were team highs that season.
Richardson joins fellow linebacker Isaiah McDuffie in declaring for the draft. Star tight end Hunter Long has also announced that he will enter the professional ranks.
A three-star prospect out of Atlanta, Ga., Richardson was a rotation linebacker in his first two years on the Heights, notching 33 tackles between the two seasons. He earned the starting gig in his third year and started every regular season game for the Eagles during the rest of his college career.
Richardson was also a key part of the Eagles’ defensive transformation under first-year head coach Jeff Hafley this season. BC’s 2019 defense was dreadful, ranking 125th in total defense and allowing 32.2 points per game. The 2020 iteration of the Eagles’ defense was mediocre, but even that mediocrity was a huge improvement. BC ranked 74th in total defense nationally and conceded an average of 28 points per game.
With Richardson and McDuffie gone, the Eagles will have to turn to a host of fresh faces in the linebacking corps. Redshirt sophomore Nick DeNucci, who played in seven games this season and notched eight tackles, will be one option. The Eagles also just signed linebacker Bryce Steele, a high three-star recruit who Hafley spoke highly of during his signing day press conference.
Featured Image by Ikram Ali / Heights Editor
