Revisiting the Texas A&M Recruiting Class of 2012
Mike Richardson
Although not the splashiest signing of the class, Richardson was considered a fantastic get for coach Sumlin and company. He chose the Aggies over offers from Oklahoma State, Baylor, Tennessee, and Texas Tech.
The Desoto standout played linebacker as a true freshman for the wrecking crew. Most of his action came in mop-up duty before he suffered a career-ending neck injury in a blowout win over Sam Houston State. He had surgery shortly thereafter and served as a student assistant coach for the Aggies since his playing days concluded.
His coaching career would also be put to an abrupt halt when one of the most bizarre instances I have ever seen took place during the Aggie’s 2014 bowl game. With the first half of the Auto Zone Liberty Bowl coming to a close, cameras showed Richardson striking West Virginia players who ventured out of bounds on two separate occasions.
He used his elbow to strike a Mountaineer cornerback in the back of the head and shoved their running back further into the bench in an incident prior to that. Once made aware of the situation, coach Sumlin immediately dismissed his former player from the team. According to those close to him, Richardson has since graduated from Texas A&M and resides in the DFW area.
Career Stats: 9 total tackles, 4 solo, 5 assisted
Most Memorable Moment: West Virginia 2014, sideline cheap shots