home-run hitting sleeper running back prospect
| April 26, 2019 05:11PM |
This American Athletic Conference runner is a big play waiting to happen every time he steps on the field
You might not have noticed, but there's a college running back who's averaging 12.2 yards per carry on 58 attempts through four games in 2018.
It's Darrell Henderson from Memphis ... and he averaged a hefty 8.9 yards per carry on 130 attempts a season ago.
But how good of an NFL Draft prospect is he? Glad you asked. I'll cover that here. But before I answer that question, let's check out some ridiculous plays he's put on film while playing for the Tigers.
I'll start with a run in 2017 against SMU that was actually called back due to a holding call. It's an important play to showcase Henderson's skills because after bouncing to the outside, he subtly cut back upfield and flipped on the jets for what would've been a long score had it not been for the flag.
Notice how Henderson was able to use his hands and quickness to fend off the initial tackle attempt from a safety flying downhill.
Looking for a hot new podcast that's your home for all things NFL? Look no further. The Pick Six Podcast with Will Brinson has you covered every weekday morning with new episodes around 30 minutes each. Subscribe: via iTunes | via Stitcher | via TuneIn | via Google Play.
Against Georgia State two weeks ago, Henderson hit another home run on a stretch run that provided a glimpse of his excellent vision, spot-and-start ability, and afterburners in the open field.
It's not easy for running backs to fully press the frontside on zone runs before sneaking against the grain on a cutback. Many times they're not patient enough and try to cut back too early when the lane hasn't materialized yet. Henderson pressed the frontside wonderfully on that long touchdown and squeezed through a tiny cutback path en route to the end zone.
Against Navy this year, Henderson had a 78-yard score on a play that not only demonstrated his vision, speed, and agility but his greatest strength as a runner ... contact balance.
He glanced off two weak arm-tackle attempts before the 30-yard-line, then was completely unfazed by a defensive back who lined him up and had two arms on him from a perfect position to take him to the ground.
After that, nothing but speed for six.
Contact balance is how well a runner can absorb contact, stay balanced, and continue churning his legs at a normal pace. It's a vital aspect of playing the position and turns 10- or 15-yard runs into big-gainers and touchdowns.
For perspective on Henderson's outstanding start to 2018 and how impressive his contact balance really is, here's how he stacks up to Bryce Love's 2017 campaign through four games.
(Stats courtesy of Sports Info Solutions.)
When it came to breaking tackles, Love was on other planet in another solar system during the first four games of 2017 and ended the season with an outrageous broken tackle percentage of 32.8. Henderson's broken tackle rate is currently 22.4 percent.
But the yards after contact per attempt figures are almost identical.
Although Henderson doesn't necessarily "run low" for being a shorter, smaller back (listed at 5-foot-9 and 200 pounds), he can lay the lumber.
Here's a good old Madden truck stick against Georgia State for your viewing pleasure.
Goodness. Henderson was a jet-powered fire hydrant on that play.
I've saved his best run thus far in 2018 for last.
Against South Alabama, Henderson made the most vicious cut I've seen from him this season on a stretch play to hit the backside lane and scored from distance.
The moment he realized the frontside tackle wasn't able to contain the edge-setting defender, he stuck his foot in the ground and exploded to daylight upfield.
Draft Stock
Henderson isn't big by NFL running back standards, and he isn't a super-shifty, make-you-miss-on-every-snap type of player. Also, he doesn't look like a sub 4.40 guy. All of those aspects of his game will work against him during the draft process.
However, he's certainly not a plodding runner, and he has tremendous vision and anticipatory skills to notice when blockers are split seconds away from creating a massive lane. Beyond that, he gets into top gear rapidly and is a no-nonsense, North-South runner in the open field.
And his contact balance is elite ... linebackers and especially cornerbacks are going to have a difficult time bringing Henderson down at the second and third levels of the defense even if they're under control and get both hands on him.
Right now, he seems like a late Day Two or early Day Three selection -- somewhere in Rounds 3-4 seem about right -- but he has at least 12 more games to sell himself to NFL teams as one of the premier home-run hitters available in the 2019 Draft.
[www.cbssports.com]
View the link and take a closer look.
You might not have noticed, but there's a college running back who's averaging 12.2 yards per carry on 58 attempts through four games in 2018.
It's Darrell Henderson from Memphis ... and he averaged a hefty 8.9 yards per carry on 130 attempts a season ago.
But how good of an NFL Draft prospect is he? Glad you asked. I'll cover that here. But before I answer that question, let's check out some ridiculous plays he's put on film while playing for the Tigers.
I'll start with a run in 2017 against SMU that was actually called back due to a holding call. It's an important play to showcase Henderson's skills because after bouncing to the outside, he subtly cut back upfield and flipped on the jets for what would've been a long score had it not been for the flag.
Notice how Henderson was able to use his hands and quickness to fend off the initial tackle attempt from a safety flying downhill.
Looking for a hot new podcast that's your home for all things NFL? Look no further. The Pick Six Podcast with Will Brinson has you covered every weekday morning with new episodes around 30 minutes each. Subscribe: via iTunes | via Stitcher | via TuneIn | via Google Play.
Against Georgia State two weeks ago, Henderson hit another home run on a stretch run that provided a glimpse of his excellent vision, spot-and-start ability, and afterburners in the open field.
It's not easy for running backs to fully press the frontside on zone runs before sneaking against the grain on a cutback. Many times they're not patient enough and try to cut back too early when the lane hasn't materialized yet. Henderson pressed the frontside wonderfully on that long touchdown and squeezed through a tiny cutback path en route to the end zone.
Against Navy this year, Henderson had a 78-yard score on a play that not only demonstrated his vision, speed, and agility but his greatest strength as a runner ... contact balance.
He glanced off two weak arm-tackle attempts before the 30-yard-line, then was completely unfazed by a defensive back who lined him up and had two arms on him from a perfect position to take him to the ground.
After that, nothing but speed for six.
Contact balance is how well a runner can absorb contact, stay balanced, and continue churning his legs at a normal pace. It's a vital aspect of playing the position and turns 10- or 15-yard runs into big-gainers and touchdowns.
For perspective on Henderson's outstanding start to 2018 and how impressive his contact balance really is, here's how he stacks up to Bryce Love's 2017 campaign through four games.
(Stats courtesy of Sports Info Solutions.)
When it came to breaking tackles, Love was on other planet in another solar system during the first four games of 2017 and ended the season with an outrageous broken tackle percentage of 32.8. Henderson's broken tackle rate is currently 22.4 percent.
But the yards after contact per attempt figures are almost identical.
Although Henderson doesn't necessarily "run low" for being a shorter, smaller back (listed at 5-foot-9 and 200 pounds), he can lay the lumber.
Here's a good old Madden truck stick against Georgia State for your viewing pleasure.
Goodness. Henderson was a jet-powered fire hydrant on that play.
I've saved his best run thus far in 2018 for last.
Against South Alabama, Henderson made the most vicious cut I've seen from him this season on a stretch play to hit the backside lane and scored from distance.
The moment he realized the frontside tackle wasn't able to contain the edge-setting defender, he stuck his foot in the ground and exploded to daylight upfield.
Draft Stock
Henderson isn't big by NFL running back standards, and he isn't a super-shifty, make-you-miss-on-every-snap type of player. Also, he doesn't look like a sub 4.40 guy. All of those aspects of his game will work against him during the draft process.
However, he's certainly not a plodding runner, and he has tremendous vision and anticipatory skills to notice when blockers are split seconds away from creating a massive lane. Beyond that, he gets into top gear rapidly and is a no-nonsense, North-South runner in the open field.
And his contact balance is elite ... linebackers and especially cornerbacks are going to have a difficult time bringing Henderson down at the second and third levels of the defense even if they're under control and get both hands on him.
Right now, he seems like a late Day Two or early Day Three selection -- somewhere in Rounds 3-4 seem about right -- but he has at least 12 more games to sell himself to NFL teams as one of the premier home-run hitters available in the 2019 Draft.
[www.cbssports.com]
View the link and take a closer look.
