Darrell Henderson NFL.com draft profile

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DARRELL HENDERSON MEMPHIS RB
Prospect Info
COLLEGE
Memphis

CLASS
Junior

HEIGHT
5' 8"

WEIGHT
208 lbs

ARMS
31"

HANDS
8 5/8"

Prospect Grade
6.20

2019 Draft Results
DRAFTED BY L.A. RAMS
Round 3 ‧ Pick 70

Combine Results
u-unofficial
40 Yard Dash
4.49

Bench Press
22

Vertical Jump
33.5

Broad Jump
121

3 Cone Drill
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20 Yd Shuttle
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60 Yd Shuttle
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Player Bio
Henderson became one of the top college running backs by the time he finished his three-year career with the Tigers. He was an Associated Press first-team All-American in 2018, finishing second in the country with 1,909 rushing yards and 22 touchdowns on only 214 carries (8.9 average). The first-team All-American Athletic Conference performer also caught 19 passes for 295 yards (15.5 average) and three touchdowns in 13 starts (he sat out the team's bowl game to focus on the draft). Henderson also missed the team's 2017 bowl game due to injury but played in 13 games that year (10 starts) and led Memphis with 1,154 yards and nine touchdowns on just 130 carries (8.9 average) to garner second-team all-conference accolades. The 2014 Mississippi Gatorade High School Player of the Year (2,253 yards, 32 TD) played in all 13 games with six starts as a true freshman (87-482-5.5, five TD rushing; 20-237-11.9, three TD receiving). He also returned 25 kickoffs for 487 yards (19.5 average) and a score during his career.


Analysis
By Lance Zierlein
NFL Analyst

Draft Projection
Rounds 2-3

NFL Comparison
Tevin Coleman

Overview
He checks in slightly undersized, doesn't have great vision and runs with a narrow base that makes him easier to tackle, but so far, those concerns haven't slowed him one bit. Big-play production is impossible to ignore, but his running style makes him best-suited to a complementary slasher role in a spread-based attack. In basketball, Henderson would be the explosive sixth man with the ability to swing certain games in your favor if he catches fire. On the ground or out of the backfield, Henderson can catch fire.

Strengths
Home-run hitter doesn't begin to describe his explosive production
Averaged 8.9 yards per carry over last 344 attempts
Movement has electric feel to it
Quick acceleration turns to get-away long speed
43 carries of 15-plus yards and 11 total touchdowns of 54-plus in 2018 alone
Unusual contact balance for narrow-base runner
Keeps feet moving at all times
Hits and spins out of contact
More physical than expected as run finisher
Used on drop-offs and screens out of backfield
Maintains potency as a pass catcher
Shows ability to track and adjust down the field

Weaknesses
Comes in a little smaller than desired for an early down back
Upright running style with narrow base
Needs to get better at slipping solid contact
Displays some hip tightness and is a one-track runner
Plays too fast to effectively stack moves
High center of gravity forces turn rather than cuts
Faced light numbers in the box
Touchdown runs happening in wide-open spaces
Sees what is there rather than what is developing
May not offer pass protection value on third down

Sources Tell Us
"He's really fast and those numbers for two years are hard to ignore but can he translate? When you go watch just the touchdown runs, there are a lot of bad fronts that he gets to feast on." - AFC college scouting director