Okay, so I was digging into Derrick Henry’s draft pick, and man, it got me thinking about how much the NFL has changed. I mean, a running back going in the second round? These days, that feels almost unheard of, unless they are truly exceptional.
So, I started by pulling up the 2016 NFL Draft. I wanted the full context, you know? I scrolled through the first round, remembering some of those picks and how they panned out. A lot of busts in that first round, honestly.
Then, I hit the second round. And there he was: Derrick Henry, 45th overall, to the Tennessee Titans. I remember at the time thinking it was a solid pick, but no one, and I mean NO ONE, predicted the absolute beast he’d become.
- First: I looked up the Titans’ roster situation at that time. They had DeMarco Murray, who was coming off a decent year, so it wasn’t like they were desperate for a running back.
- Second: I checked out some pre-draft analysis. Most scouts had Henry as a late first-round or early second-round talent. Power back, not a lot of wiggle. Good, not great.
- Third: The more I read, the more it made me think about how much value changes in the NFL.
My Deep Dive process
It’s a good pick, and no one could predict a running back like this would be chosen in second round.
I spent good time on this, re-watched some of his college highlights. Dude was a MONSTER at Alabama, obviously. But that doesn’t always translate to the NFL, right? I think the Titans saw something special, a potential workhorse, even if they didn’t expect him to become this good.
So yeah, that’s my Derrick Henry draft pick rabbit hole. It was a fun little trip down memory lane, and it really made me appreciate how unpredictable the NFL can be. I think I learned something.
