Recent Alabama tailbacks have experienced mixed results since forgoing their final seasons with the Crimson Tide.
Now it’s Derrick Henry’s turn to test his talents.
The Heisman Trophy winner announced Friday at a scheduled news conference in Tuscaloosa that he was making himself eligible for the NFL draft. Also announcing his departure was junior defensive lineman A’Shawn Robinson.
“These two young men here have done an outstanding job on and off the field in the way they’ve represented the University of Alabama,” coach Nick Saban said. “They’ve been great teammates for the other players on the team, and they’ve been really good leaders. They’ve set a good example.
“Obviously, they’ve had tremendous success on the football field individually along with contributing to team success, winning a national championship and two SEC titles over the three years they have been here.”
Three other Alabama juniors – tight end O.J. Howard, defensive lineman Jonathan Allen and inside linebacker Reuben Foster – have yet to announce their intentions for next season.
Henry set a Southeastern Conference single-season record this past season with 2,219 rushing yards, including 158 during Monday night’s 45-40 victory over Clemson that gave the Crimson Tide a fourth national championship in seven years. The 6-foot-3, 242-pounder from Yulee, Fla., is rated by most draft analysts as the No. 2 tailback prospect behind Ohio State’s Ezekiel Elliott.
“It’s hard to look at what he has done this year and think that there is more that he can do,” ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay said of Henry. “The guy has been an absolute workhorse. He’s very competitive and carried a football team when it needed to be carried. Everyone in the stadium knew he was getting the ball, and he still turned out yards.
“His offensive line was good, but we’re not talking about the same offensive line that they’ve had in years past. When Mark Ingram and those guys were there, they had a lot more linemen getting drafted. He was a lot better this year about going out and getting what was available.”
Henry is the fifth Alabama tailback under Saban to leave early for the NFL, following Ingram, Trent Richardson, Eddie Lacey and T.J. Yeldon.
Ingram had a slow start to his pro career with New Orleans but has rushed for 1,733 yards the past two seasons after gaining 1,462 in the first three. Richardson rushed for 950 yards as a Cleveland rookie but has been a disaster since, getting released by Oakland before the start of this season. Lacy has been the biggest success with 3,075 yards in his first three years with Green Bay, though this third season has been his worst, while Yeldon had 740 yards this season as a Jacksonville rookie.
Ingram and Richardson were first-round picks – Richardson went No. 3 overall to the Browns in the 2012 draft – but McShay has Henry pegged for the second round.
“I like his game a lot, but he has limited experience catching passes so far,” McShay said. “If there is one area he can improve between now and the draft, I would say it would be catching the ball well at the combine and at his pro day. I am not a huge fan of drafting running backs in the first round to begin with.
“I’m not saying he won’t be a first-round pick, but you’ve got to be exceptionally complete in the passing game.”
Henry submitted a request to the NFL’s Draft Advisory Board and said Friday that he received a second-round grade.
“Just because I got my grade, it doesn’t mean I’m not going to be in the first round,” Henry said. “Nobody is going to outwork me. I’m going to push and work hard every day.
“Hard work pushes you over the limit and makes you who you are.”
Robinson is the top defensive tackle in the draft, according to CBS, which has him going No. 9 overall. When asked about his decision, Robinson said, “I don’t think it was really that tough.”
Title celebration set
Alabama will celebrate its latest national championship with a parade next Saturday morning in Tuscaloosa, beginning at 11. The parade will start at Denny Chimes and end on the north steps of Bryant-Denny Stadium, and it will include athletic director Bill Battle, Saban and the players.
Giveaways include 10,000 national championship posters.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.