Rookie Darrell Henderson might be perfect fit in Rams ‘change-of-pace’ role
Some are comparing third-round draft pick’s explosiveness to Saints running back Alvin Kamara

RYAN KARTJE

link: https://www.ocregister.com/2019/05/11/rookie-darrell-henderson-might-be-perfect-fit-in-rams-change-of-pace-role/

In March 2017, two months after he was hired as Rams coach, Sean McVay brought in a little-used veteran running back on a free-agent visit.

Over five injury-riddled seasons in Dallas, Lance Dunbar didn’t play a featured role. He’d never reached 50 touches in a season and had just one career touchdown. Nonetheless, McVay saw in Dunbar an underutilized, all-purpose puzzle piece that could unlock his multifaceted offense. The slashing 5-foot-8 back, McVay believed, would be a perfect pass-catching complement to Todd Gurley. He told Dunbar his skillset reminded him of Chris Thompson, whose explosiveness as a diminutive change-of-pace back helped take his offense to another level in Washington.

It seemed like a promising fit with Dunbar. Until his knee intervened.

Soon after signing a $3 million deal with the Rams, the oft-injured back landed on the “physically unable to perform” list. He touched the ball in just two games in 2017, never quite regaining his explosiveness. The next March, he was cut.

Ever since, the Rams have been searching for the right fit for a role McVay has long viewed as crucial to his offense. They considered a few options in the middle rounds of last year’s draft – a group which included the likes of Colts running back Nyheim Hines and Atlanta’s Ito Smith. But, Rams general manager Les Snead said, “a couple of enemies chose those change-of-pace backs ahead of us.”

They couldn’t let the same scenario play out again. Whether or not Gurley’s knee is worse than the team has led on, the Rams already acknowledged the need to lighten his load. So they did their due diligence on many of the draft’s running backs. They were looking for “a very specific human being,” as Snead put it – a compact, explosive runner, with great hands and great vision, who could motion into the slot and run routes, but also take an off-tackle handoff, break through tackles and go the distance on a stretch play.

By draft night, the Rams were sure they’d found their guy. His measurables suggested he was a perfect fit. They wondered if he might add “a Kamara element” to an offense that was already quite explosive without such a weapon. They even considered pouncing with the 45th overall pick to make sure another team wouldn’t swoop in.

“We’ll play against him and you’ll feel it,” Snead warned the war room.

So the Rams traded up, sacrificing a valuable compensatory third-round pick to move to No. 70.

University of Memphis coach Mike Norvell was watching as picks ticked off the board in the third round, crossing his fingers that the Tigers’ top running back would wind up in an offense that suited his unique abilities. When the Rams finally selected Darrell Henderson, Norvell rejoiced.

It was a perfect marriage, he thought.

“I don’t know if there’s a better fit in the NFL for him than the Rams,” Norvell said.

Norvell had already digested hours of the Rams offense over the past year, gleaning what he could. He noted how similarly he and McVay used running backs, deploying them all over the field. Memphis handed off to its backs out of shotgun formation more frequently. But like the Rams, the Memphis offense subsisted on a heavy dose of outside zone runs, which asked backs to run off tackle while patiently reading the defense before cutting upfield.

The Rams ran more outside zone than any other team in the NFL last season. That scheme can be a difficult adjustment for some backs, but for the 5-foot-8 Henderson, it shouldn’t be an adjustment at all. Over the past two seasons, according to Pro Football Focus, he led all of college football with a staggering 10.7 yards per carry on such runs. Highlight reels offer endless examples of how Henderson’s extraordinary vision could translate to an NFL zone blocking scheme.

“The number of explosive runs he’s had on stretch plays is incredible,” Norvell said. “I think he was the most dynamic back in college football last year because of it.”

Henderson won’t even be the most dynamic back in his own backfield with the Rams, assuming Gurley returns to full health. But operating out of a committee isn’t a new concept for him, either. Even as he finished second in the nation in rushing last season, Henderson accounted for fewer than 35 percent of his own team’s rushing attempts.

For Memphis, that was by design … to a point. Often, when Norvell resolved to give Henderson more carries, he broke off huge gains that rendered longer drives unnecessary. Norvell didn’t complain. Over the past two seasons, Henderson tallied 18 runs of 50-plus yards — an insane two-year total that no collegiate running back over the past decade can match.

Still, in spite of that historic efficiency, Henderson shared carries with fellow running backs Patrick Taylor Jr. and Tony Pollard, who combined for 1,674 rushing yards and 22 touchdowns of their own last season.

“To have multiple explosive backs that are able to stay fresh and able to put together a complete season, that’s important,” Norvell said. “When you look at the situation there, having Gurley, a guy who’s experienced, who’s one of the best, that can help both of their careers. They can be a dynamic duo.”
It’s not difficult to envision such an arrangement, with Gurley, health pending, in the lead role. The Rams already dabbled with a two-back approach last season, as C.J. Anderson became a crucial part of their run to the Super Bowl. Now, with Henderson, they’ll have a more explosive second option to complement Gurley.

What the Rams will ultimately get from the 2017 NFL Offensive Player of the Year in 2019 remains somewhat of a mystery. After missing two games at the end of last season with knee inflammation, then struggling through the playoffs, Gurley said in mid-April that his knee felt “pretty good”, but otherwise didn’t offer much detail. When asked if Henderson’s selection had anything to do with Gurley’s health, McVay shook his head.

“This had to do with (Henderson’s) skillset,” McVay said. “He was a player that we identified as a unique playmaker. He can obviously do some things as a runner, but the versatility that he provides and some of the things he can do are what’s so enticing for us.”

How quickly might we see that skillset at work? Norvell has seen enough of Henderson to know it probably won’t take long. Whether Gurley is healthy or not.

“I don’t think Darrell is a guy that you want to put any limitations on what he can or can’t do,” Norvell said. “I believe he can do it all.”

Trait: Through gap acceleration

What makes Henderson special is his all-time elite acceleration ability. Chris Johnson ran 1.40 from 0-10 at the NFL combine, Darrell Henderson 1.42.

Henderson gets to the 2nd level in a hurry and ruins angles of pursuing defenders. pic.twitter.com/aHlrqOn46N

— AngeloFF (@angelo_fantasy) May 7, 2019

Ryan Kartje@Ryan_Kartje
I get that Dion Jordan has prior violations of the NFL’s substance abuse policy, but I just can’t square him being suspended for 10 games for ADDERALL, while Kareem Hunt attacks a woman and sits out just 8 weeks

Rams rookie corner David Long said he’s a good fit for Wade Phillips’ defense because Wade allows CB’s to press quite a bit. That was Long’s specialty at Michigan.

Sam Farmer@LATimesfarmer
I’m waiting for that NFL player who says, “I’m preparing like the backup.”

Cameron DaSilva@camdasilva
Bobby Evans said it was “crazy” to be on the same field as superstars like Aaron Donald.

Greg Gaines' first impression of Aaron Donald: 'He's a pretty good looking guy' https://t.co/lD6WHFyFsa

— Rams Wire (@TheRamsWire) May 14, 2019

Rams rookies participated in on-field workouts today with veteran players. Safety Taylor Rapp is eager to contribute — however possible 🤣 pic.twitter.com/Ybtb281zi7

— Lindsey Thiry (@LindseyThiry) May 14, 2019

.@trapp07 workin’‼️#LARams pic.twitter.com/0LCVmjvCEc

— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) May 14, 2019

from PFF’s top 25 NFL players under 25 for 2019

https://www.profootballfocus.com/news/pro-pffs-top-25-nfl-players-under-25-for-2019

QB JARED GOFF, LOS ANGELES RAMS
AGE AT KICKOFF: 24 YEARS, 10 MONTHS, 24 DAYS
After a disappointing rookie year with Jeff Fisher at the helm, the former No. 1 overall pick has blossomed in the subsequent years with Sean McVay. His 2018 season was his best year to date; he ended the regular season with an 85.5 overall grade, and he finished eighth in the NFL in clean-pocket big-time throw percentage (5.45%) on the year.

.@trapp07 x @dljxxii

The newest additions to the #LARams secondary! pic.twitter.com/ogLmcIngTI

— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) May 13, 2019

All smiles! 😃@trapp07 is in the house! #LARams pic.twitter.com/94YS76LlkB

— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) May 13, 2019

Adam Schefter@AdamSchefter
A Florida judge ruled today that the video of Patriots’ owner Robert Kraft from inside a spa cannot be used because it was obtained illegally. A win for Kraft.

First group of rooks in the building 🙌 pic.twitter.com/XOCLHvCoOV

— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) May 13, 2019

Most accurate passers by pass depth in 2018:https://t.co/BPse22o4GZ

— Steve Palazzolo (@PFF_Steve) May 13, 2019