The Tennessee Titans knew they weren’t drafting the most agile running back on the board when they took former Alabama star Derrick Henry with the 45th overall pick. At 6-foot-3, 245 pounds, Henry is built more like a linebacker. He has the footwork of one, too.
ESPN’s Paul Kuharsky captured some footage of Henry going through drills at Titans rookie minicamp this week, and there were times when the north-south runner was clearly struggling.
First day of Derrick Henry's NFL life with media cameras on him. The single-digit number makes him appear narrower. pic.twitter.com/FDwsqKDffd
— Paul Kuharsky (@PaulKuharskyNFL) May 13, 2016
Here is a second clip of Derrick Henry's drill work. #titans. pic.twitter.com/eg8SZcwZ7u
— Paul Kuharsky (@PaulKuharskyNFL) May 13, 2016
In fairness to the Heisman Trophy winner, it wasn’t a disaster the entire practice.
Here is a third clip of Derrick Henry's drill work. #Titans. pic.twitter.com/bxwqEhKwu9
— Paul Kuharsky (@PaulKuharskyNFL) May 13, 2016
Henry is much more likely to run through guys than he is to make them miss. He didn’t rush for over 2,000 yards and score 28 touchdowns last season by avoiding defenders, that’s for sure.
“It’s different drills, you come out here to different things,” Henry told reporters after the workout. “You’ve got to adjust. Once you get used to it, you get better at it. It’s the first day, so you try to do the best you can.”
There’s certainly reason to be concerned about how Henry will transition to the NFL, as the guys trying to tackle him will be much bigger, stronger and faster than they were in the SEC. But we know how powerful Henry is (remember this incredible display?), so he should be useful in short yardage situations and as a complement to DeMarco Murray. If he can gain chunk yardage by running north to south, Henry’s footwork won’t be a huge issue.
