NFL Draft's next Derrick Henry reveals biggest lessons he's learned from the Tennessee Titans legend
Will there ever truly be another Derrick Henry in the NFL? It seems that any time a big-bodied running back with speed enters the league Henry comparisons get thrown around, and most of the time it doesn't make much sense. However, if there's ever going to be "another Derrick Henry" the 2024 NFL Draft class […]
Will there ever truly be another Derrick Henry in the NFL? It seems that any time a big-bodied running back with speed enters the league Henry comparisons get thrown around, and most of the time it doesn't make much sense. However, if there's ever going to be "another Derrick Henry" the 2024 NFL Draft class might actually have that prospect.
Braelon Allen, RB Wisconsin was listed at 245 pounds when he played at Wisconsin, and is set to showcase his speed to go along with that Derrick Henry size today at the NFL Combine.
For those unfamiliar with his game, Allen entered college early when he was still just 17 years old. He was recruited mostly as a defensive player, but when he got to Wisconsin made the switch full-time to running back.
Allen immediately hit the ground running and destroyed the Big Ten as a 17-year-old true freshman, running for nearly 1300 yards, posting seven 100-yard games in a row (a better streak than Jonathan Taylor had as a freshman at Wisconsin). Since then he's rushed for over 2000 more yards on top of that, becoming one of the most productive bruising big-bodied running backs in college football history.
Some Badgers fans love to compare Allen to Jonathan Taylor, but Braelon Allen loves to model his game after Derrick Henry specifically. When asked about his relationship with Henry at the NFL Combine this week this is what he had to say.
"Derrick Henry is a guy I've talked to a bunch. We have a great relationship…I was able to pick his brain a little bit on how to emulate his diet, his recovery routine, and regiment. Derrick's a guy I talk to all the time. He's been great for me, especially throughout this past year…I study him a lot and try to emulate his game."
Braelon Allen obviously looks up to Derrick Henry, and for good reason. Derrick Henry has been one of the greatest running backs of all time since entering the league in 2016.
Allen went on to share what was most important to him in learning from Derrick Henry:
"It just came down to how to take care of my body. That was the biggest thing I had for [Derrick Henry]. You know, a guy who's been as effective as he has, and as good as he has, for as long as he has…the longevity and ability to play week in and week out with very limited injuries…A guy who's similarly built to me, kind of a similar size. I wanted to see how he takes care of his body.
Very wise for Allen to seek out guidance from Henry as their similarities are quite obvious. They're both incredibly strong. They boast jumbo feature back size with impressive speed. And on a slightly less positive note, they both have had questions about their receiving and pass protection skills throughout their careers.
When I asked Allen about the scheme change at Wisconsin and his improvements in the receiving game and pass protection this is what he had to say (in post below):
"It's helped my stock. You know, teams saw that I could catch the ball…I had to pass protect a lot more. And those are two things that NFL teams are looking for in a back. Especially a guy that's my size, seen as kind of a bruising back. I want to be able to put different things on tape so I think [the scheme change] helped me in that way for sure."
If Braelon Allen can continue to improve as a pass catcher and in pass protection (something Henry seriously struggles with) he may just become the closest thing we have ever seen to "the next Derrick Henry" in the NFL. It will be quite interesting to see if the Titans are actually the ones to draft him given that Derrick Henry is likely leaving via free agency this spring.
Regardless of where Allen lands, he should dominate a backfield and find success given his elite blend of size, speed, and newfound receiving ability.
