Derrick Henry

[CATCH17]

I don't get why so many of you want this guy.


He is basically a poor mans Darren McFadden.


His weaknesses will not show up in college but when there isn't a ton of space to run in this guy will be just a 3rd down back.

 

[texbumthelife]

I don't get why so many of you want this guy.


He is basically a poor mans Darren McFadden.


His weaknesses will not show up in college but when there isn't a ton of space to run in this guy will be just a 3rd down back.

I don't see any resemblance to McFadden.

McFadden was burner in college who never showed patience or was asked to run between the tackles much. He relied on raw physical ability to excel as a runner and return man. His biggest issue in the pros has been staying healthy and that's led to him being tentative when running in traffic.

Henry is a big bruiser who shows exceptional patience if nothing else. He has great footwork and is always facing north/south. He shows pretty good vision and surprising explosiveness for his size, but it not considered a speed guy by any means.

I am not saying I like, want or even think Henry is a good choice, but he is nothing like McFadden. In fact, they're pretty much polar opposites when it comes to running style and strengths/weaknesses.

 

[KingintheNorth]

Henry is more Eddie George than Darren McFadden.

 

[Hardline]

Henry would be the best RB on this roster the second he is drafted.
I want Elliott though.

 

[mattjames2010]

Henry is more Eddie George than Darren McFadden.

He's pretty much a Steven Jackson clone, which is the exact player he compares himself to.

This guy is a monster RB and would be perfect behind our line.

 

[8FOR!3]

He's pretty much a Steven Jackson clone, which is the exact player he compares himself to.

This guy is a monster RB and would be perfect behind our line.

Agreed, nothing at all like Darren McFadden.

 

[mattjames2010]

- Derrick Henry highlights

- Steven Jackson highlights

I would say the only difference between Henry and Jackson is that Henry has slightly more open field burst. Due to size, they both had a slight stiff running style, but this doesn't matter because defenders don't want to take these kind of RBs head on anyways.

I keep hearing Henry is "slow" or having below average speed (Not much here, but elsewhere), but I rarely ever see this guy get caught from behind by linebackers or DBs. His 40-time is going to surprise some people, and if it ends up average, it just proves 40 times don't accurately portray game time speed.

 

[tm1119]

OP made a thread about how Henry's weaknesses will hold him back, but didn't actually state a single weakness. Not to mention the comparison out of left field that isn't even remotely accurate. Great post overall...

I see a huge physical specimen that is fast and likes to hit people. Where do I sign up for that guy as my RB? Don't get me wrong, he may end up going too high for my taste, but it's pretty mind boggling to me someone can watch this kid play and go "mehh, he's going to be garbage in the nfl."

 

[bodi]

kinda like Trent Richardson

just sayin

 

[mattjames2010]

kinda like Trent Richardson

just sayin

What exactly about him is Trent Richardson? The school?

Hardly the same RBs. You guys are terrible with comparisons.

 

[bodi]

what ever dude every body thought he would be the next big RB - it is the school Nick Saban picks the same type od RB every year

 

[mattjames2010]

what ever dude every body thought he would be the next big RB - it is the school Nick Saban picks the same type od RB every year

Did you even watch those highlights? Trent Richardson was a short, shifty/speedy RB with some power. Henry is a tall back, above the average, with long strides who uses strength and power more than agility and elusiveness.

They are simply not the same kind of RB. And no one thinks Henry is the "next big RB".

 

[CATCH17]

OP made a thread about how Henry's weaknesses will hold him back, but didn't actually state a single weakness. Not to mention the comparison out of left field that isn't even remotely accurate. Great post overall...

I see a huge physical specimen that is fast and likes to hit people. Where do I sign up for that guy as my RB? Don't get me wrong, he may end up going too high for my taste, but it's pretty mind boggling to me someone can watch this kid play and go "mehh, he's going to be garbage in the nfl."

My post was lazy I admit.


I just wanted to use this an outlet to say that I don't think he'll be good at the next level.

 

[joseephuss]

Who is the last Alabama running back that had a great NFL career? The recent guys have not been great.

Mark Ingram has not been good. At best he has been average.

Trent Richardson has been awful.

Eddie Lacey has been good, but not great. He is currently getting outplayed by his back up.

T.J. Yeldon is off to a slow start to his career.

Would Henry do better than these guys? Will he be great or just good.

If Dallas did draft Henry, he would not need to be great to help them win. Being good may be all they need. I don't think being good is enough to justify using a 1st or 2nd round draft pick.

 

[mattjames2010]

Who is the last Alabama running back that had a great NFL career? The recent guys have not been great.

Mark Ingram has not been good. At best he has been average.

Trent Richardson has been awful.

Eddie Lacey has been good, but not great. He is currently getting outplayed by his back up.

T.J. Yeldon is off to a slow start to his career.

Would Henry do better than these guys? Will he be great or just good.

If Dallas did draft Henry, he would not need to be great to help them win. Being good may be all they need. I don't think being good is enough to justify using a 1st or 2nd round draft pick.

The school argument has always been terrible.

First off, Ingram's issue is the Saints. He's done well with his limited touches. Trent Richardson was a bust, they come out of any school. Eddie Lacey had two really good years in this league, how is Alabama the fault of his poor showing in year 3? It's too early to judge T.J. Yeldon, that Jags team still has a lot of work to do.

Henry isn't at top 10 talent, he's a top 20-25. "Good players" usually come out of that range, so yes, it would be a justifiable pick.

 

[joseephuss]

The school argument has always been terrible.

First off, Ingram's issue is the Saints. He's done well with his limited touches. Trent Richardson was a bust, they come out of any school. Eddie Lacey had two really good years in this league, how is Alabama the fault of his poor showing in year 3? It's too early to judge T.J. Yeldon, that Jags team still has a lot of work to do.

Henry isn't at top 10 talent, he's a top 20-25. "Good players" usually come out of that range, so yes, it would be a justifiable pick.

Ingram was a 1st round pick. There is no way to justify that pick by the Saints. He averages less than 50 yards a game. He has had two full seasons where he averaged less than 4 yards per carry and he is working on his third. That is hardly doing well with limited touches.

Lacy was a 2nd round pick. Do you think Henry is better? I don't. He doesn't look any better than those other guys who came out of Alabama.

 

[mattjames2010]

Ingram was a 1st round pick. There is no way to justify that pick by the Saints. He averages less than 50 yards a game. He has had two full seasons where he averaged less than 4 yards per carry and he is working on his third. That is hardly doing well with limited touches.

Lacy was a 2nd round pick. Do you think Henry is better? I don't. He doesn't look any better than those other guys who came out of Alabama.

No, there's no way to justify New Orleans taking ANY RB in the first because they use a true RBBC. Ingram had 600 yards with 150 carries in 2012, last year he nearly had 1,000 when he finally got over 200 carries (He missed 3 games). Yes, so he's done "pretty well".

And quite frankly, I don't care if YOU don't think Henry is worth a late first. Most credible scouts are considering Henry first round talent, why? Because he looks like one.

Also, Lacy is a 5-11, 229 pound back that ran a 4.44. He was a decent prospect. Henry is 6-3, 241 pounds, and is projected to run the speed Lacy ran at the combine. He has rare size/speed combo. Again, he's comparable to Steven Jackson, who was taken late in the first.

 

[joseephuss]

No, there's no way to justify New Orleans taking ANY RB in the first because they use a true RBBC. Ingram had 600 yards with 150 carries in 2012, last year he nearly had 1,000 when he finally got over 200 carries (He missed 3 games). Yes, so he's done "pretty well".

And quite frankly, I don't care if YOU don't think Henry is worth a late first. Most credible scouts are considering Henry first round talent, why? Because he looks like one.

Also, Lacy is a 5-11, 229 pound back that ran a 4.44. He was a decent prospect. Henry is 6-3, 241 pounds, and is projected to run the speed Lacy ran at the combine. He has rare size/speed combo. Again, he's comparable to Steven Jackson, who was taken late in the first.

You don't have to care about my opinion. It is my opinion, which this board allows me to share. He reminds me more of Brandon Jacobs than Steven Jackson and that isn't worth a 1st round pick in my opinion.

Here is to low standards. Almost gaining 1000 yards in one season and rushing for 600 yards while averaging less than 4 ypc is considered "pretty well". I agree Henry could at least do that. Of course that is what I am afraid of.

 

[mattjames2010]

You don't have to care about my opinion. It is my opinion, which this board allows me to share. He reminds me more of Brandon Jacobs than Steven Jackson and that isn't worth a 1st round pick in my opinion.

Here is to low standards. Almost gaining 1000 yards in one season and rushing for 600 yards while averaging less than 4 ypc is considered "pretty well". I agree Henry could at least do that. Of course that is what I am afraid of.

"Pretty well" for a Saints offense that gives their RBs limited touches. Keep up, please.

And we're lucky your opinion will only ever stay on this board and not have any impact with the players drafted, Henry only has the size of Jacobs, but other than that, they're not alike.

 

[joseephuss]

"Pretty well" for a Saints offense that gives their RBs limited touches. Keep up, please.

And we're lucky your opinion will only ever stay on this board and not have any impact with the players drafted, Henry only has the size of Jacobs, but other than that, they're not alike.

The limited touches thing is a poor excuse. Before last season DeMarco Murray received limited touches and he didn't average less than 4 ypc like Ingram did. Felix Jones used to get limited touches and he didn't struggle to get 4 ypc as Ingram does. There really is nothing to keep up with here. The standards have to be greatly lowered for Mark Ingram to be considered doing "pretty well" at the NFL level.