Derrick Henry: NFL Boom or Bust?
"Sports Science went as far as to call Derrick Henry a “hybrid Eddie George”, but I just don’t see it. I do see a mammoth of a man that will inflict damage upon all that attempt to bring him down, but I don’t see him physically breaking down defenses in the NFL….."
NFL caliber running backs seem to be a staple at the University of Alabama but their recent performances in the NFL have led us to be skeptical of the Crimson Tide running backs entering the NFL. Trent Richardson is by far the biggest bust of recent time after being drafted number 3 by the Cleveland Browns. On the other hand, running backs Eddie Lacy, Mark Ingram, and TJ Yeldon have had some great games. Their issue seems to be consistency.
The latest member of this Crimson Tide running back fraternity is Derrick Henry. We all know he is an absolute beast to be playing running back and his 6’3″ 247 pound frame is seemingly fit to take on all sorts of punishment at the next level. But, can he deliver the same sorts of punishment to defensive players like the way he could at college?
Boom and bust are two words that could best describe Derrick Henry’s running style at Alabama. Boom, he was in the second level and he’d bust any member of the secondary or linebacking core that tried to stand in his way. Obviously, after rushing for over 2200 yards and 28 touchdowns, that raw power and athleticism dominated any and all opposing defenses on his way to winning the Heisman. Can that same running style translate to the NFL, where everyone has caught up to his size?That is a really tough question to answer, and seeing a Heisman winner get drafted with the 45th pick shows that NFL teams are having a hard time answering that question too.
In fact, early reports from rookie camp are saying that Henry needs to put a lot of practice on his footwork. In fact, this article even has a header that reads, “Henry’s footwork looks terrible at Titans minicamp.” I don’t find it unreasonable for coaches to expect that a Heisman winning running back should be able to have his footwork nailed down. These early reports fuel the fire for the doubters of Alabama running back on the next level, and have him as a bust in the NFL. Haters believe that when Henry is no longer bigger than most of the 8 men in the box, he will be covered up and his lack of ability and technical skill will cap his ceiling.
But that is the haters, and haters gonna hate.
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Derrick Henry gave something for his supporters to believe in at the combine. We knew he was big and we knew he was strong, but how fast was Derrick Henry? He answered that question with a pretty good to average run time of 4.54 in the the 40-yard
. I know, it isn’t anything to be overly excited about, but there have been good running backs in the NFL with a similar time. Add to that, ESPN
aired a segment comparing Derrick Henry to a wrecking ball, and you see a physical specimen that will still be bigger than some of those men in the 8-man box and his power will still be an advantage.
When it comes down to question of “boom or bust?” I find myself leaning more towards boom than bust, but can we make the boom more like a…..bang? Do I see Derrick Henry getting over 20 touches a game? Absolutely not, and unfortunately for Henry, he doesn’t seem to hit his real stride until he has had at least 15 carries. He is a part of one of the most crowded backfields I’ve ever seen. The Titans have brought in Demarco Murray, and they still have talent in youngsters David Cobb, Bishop Sankey, and Antonio Andrews. Honestly, if I were a Titans fan I’d be upset we drafted Henry.
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Maybe the Titans have given up on Sankey and Cobb, and they want Derrick Henry to learn behind Demarco Murray. If that is the Titans’ logic, I can role with that game plan. Murray can work with Henry on things like footwork, and Henry can continue to make the transition from college to pro without the burden of full time carries.
Sports Science went as far as to call Derrick Henry a “hybrid Eddie George”, but I just don’t see it. I do see a mammoth of a man that will inflict damage upon all that attempt to bring him down, but I don’t see him physically breaking down defenses in the NFL the same way he was able to in college. When it is all said and done, will Derrick Henry be a boom, or will he be a bust? I’m going with average.
I know that isn’t a selection, but I can’t see either a boom or a bust in Derrick Henry. I see the somewhat clunky running style he has not fully translating to the NFL level, and I see him having problems consistently running the ball against a stacked box. Then I think to myself, despite lacking a “natural” running style, he can make up for it on raw strength and size.
As long as the Titans on the offensive line can keep people out of the back field, Henry will get them a minimum of 3 yards every carry. Teams are looking for guys like that in the NFL, so I think Henry will remain employed for years to come, but I’d be willing to bet that he never has 1,000 yard rushing season. I’ll guess he ends his career after 7 seasons, with 4900 rushing yards and 42 touchdowns. That’s not exactly a boom career line for a 2nd round pick, but then again, it can hardly be considered a bust..
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