It's no secret that former Alabama Crimson Tide running back Derrick Henry is an incredible talent. During his final 2015 season in Tuscaloosa, he won the Heisman Trophy award given to the best overall player in college football, and he broke Herschel Walker's single-season rushing record during the SEC Championship game against Florida.
The talent and numbers are there — but the question for Henry in the upcoming 2016 NFL Draft isn't about what he's capable of doing, or if he's a powerful, NFL-capable running back. The question is rather more about what type of offensive system Henry will fit best in. Henry is a pure downhill runner, with a combination of speed and size that makes him an abominable force for defenders.
But given his size — he boasts a 6-foot-3, 247-pound frame — he isn't exactly the most nimble back in the draft class, and her certainly isn't known for juking out linebackers or skirting around the edge. That's not to say how he runs as a back is less adequate than other running backs — he's just a different type of animal; one that needs to be put in the right system to succeed.
Henry's a powerful downfield runner who can carry a heavy load production-wise, but given his specific skillset, he likely will be the second tailback drafted behind former Ohio State tailback Ezekiel Elliot. Elliot, as the Washington Post's John Harris notes, may be a better overall back in terms of what teams are looking for. He's got size and speed to run up the middle, but quickness to agility to make plays around the edge. That automatically makes him fit virtually anywhere.
"Elliott is as complete a back as any NFL team could want that next level. He loves to run the A Gap power, can get the edge on zone stretch and catches anything thrown his way. He's a true three down offensive weapon and why he's top back on this board." Harris said in The WAPOST earlier last week.
Henry being a pure north-south runner, while that isn't to be taken as a bad or negative trait whatsoever, is important because he won't fit in every offensive scheme. We'll see where the former Tide star ends up — he may fall in the second round due to the fact that he may not be needed in teams picking in the first round. The most recent mock draft from NFL.com has the Cowboys picking up Henry with the No. 34 pick. One thing's for sure — whoever gets him will have one heck of a talented prospect.
