New England Patriots Should Target RB Derrick Henry in NFL Draft

They might have to use some assets and get creative, but the New England Patriots must target RB Derrick Henry in the 2016 NFL Draft. His powerful running style would be a perfect fit for their offense and fill arguably their largest need.

The New England Patriots’ season ended shorter than expected when they were physically man-handled by the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship game. The Patriots were able to make it close, but Tom Brady being put flat on his back over and over again proved to be too much for the team to overcome.

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Von Miller and the Broncos’ pass rushers completely took over that game. The Patriots’ offensive line deserves a fair amount of blame for their poor performance, but they were not exactly put in a prime situation to succeed. The Broncos’ pass rush was the best in the NFL and they were able to simply pin their ears back and attack Brady on each and every play.

The lack of a running game killed the Patriots on that night. Brady is one of the greatest quarterbacks that the NFL has ever seen, and the Patriots can rely on him to heavily carry the offensive load. That being said, no threat of a rushing attack clearly hurt them down the stretch. This is an issue that must get solved this off season.

Dion Lewis will return from his knee injury next season, and that will naturally improve their ability to run the ball. Lewis was great last season, but his game is predicated on his ability to cut on a dime with ridiculous agility and ankle-breaking moves. It is fair to wonder whether he will be the same after coming off of major knee surgery.

Whether Lewis comes back strong or not, the Patriots would be wise to add a power back to compliment him. They could certainly look to add one in free agency, with bringing back LeGarrette Blount seeming like a solid solution. If they want more stability and upside, Chris Ivory or Alfred Morris would make plenty of sense as well.

However, adding a high-priced free agent at the running back position would not line up with the Patriots’ typical thought process. Spending at the running back position brings clear lack of value that I doubt the Patriots would really be interested in doing. Perhaps they will look to find their guy in the draft?

That would certainly make more sense, with last year’s Heisman Trophy winning running back from Alabama, Derrick Henry, seemingly being the most natural choice.

Henry is a powerful runner who dominated for Alabama last season. He blended an impressive mix of burst, athleticism and strength to rush for 2,219 yards and 28 touchdowns on 395 carries. He proved his ability to be bell-cow runner and seemed to have the mix of skills to succeed at the next level as well.

That being said, Henry’s skill-set has been questioned in the early portion of the draft process. More than anything, the lack of NFL success of recent running backs under Nick Saban at Alabama has seemed to cloud the picture on Henry. Mark Ingram has been solid, but he was considered a major bust early in his career. Trent Richardson was clearly a major bust, and Eddie Lacy seems to be heading that way as well.

It is unfair to directly and negatively compare Henry to those guys, but the stigma is undoubtedly there. Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott is widely considered a first-round prospect in this class. Elliott is great and deserves that recognition, but Henry is arguably the more talented back, and some people are calling him nothing more than a fourth-round pick.

That being said, the stigma on Henry is likely to change soon. Henry’s powerful and physical ability has never been questioned, but some in the scouting community feel as if Henry lacks the explosive speed and mobility to succeed at the next level. Well, some of those questions were answered at the NFL scouting combine this weekend.

Henry put on a show for NFL scouts, first running a better than expected 4.54 second 40-yard dash. Henry also showed off his quickness and athleticism with a 37″ vertical leap, 10’10” broad jump and 11.5 second 60-yard shuttle. Henry looked quick, athletic and agile at the combine, and it should help his draft stock moving forward.

The Patriots’ interest in Henry makes a lot of sense to me. Bill Belichick and Nick Saban have always been good friends, and Belichick clearly trusts his players coming into the NFL. Belichick is not shy about specifically targeting a Saban player, as he knows that the guy had been coach right in college and will be ready to compete at the next level.

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With Saban’s stamp of approval and an obvious need for a power back to help carry the offensive load, the Patriots and Henry seem like a perfect match. I still doubt he gets into the first round, but after his combine performance, Henry will likely rise up draft boards. The Patriots do not pick until the end of the second round, and while Henry could still be there, it is far from a foregone conclusion.

I could certainly see the Patriots trading up and specifically targeting Henry to come in and be the focus of their rushing attack. Another possible scenario is using defensive end Chandler Jones as trade bait to land an early second round pick. I used this example in a recent piece to acquire the Jacksonville Jaguars’ second round pick. That would certainly put the Patriots in the sweet spot to land Henry. Just an idea.

Derrick Henry is clearly a talented back, and I feel that he is going to be productive at the next level. Bringing him in to get the tough yards while Lewis and James White make the noise on the outside and in the receiving game would give the Patriots a great mix of players in the backfield.

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Brady needs help, and while there are many ways to get it to him, specifically targeting Henry to carry the load in the backfield is a great solution to their problems. The New England Patriots need Derrick Henry, and they should aggressively be pursuing him in the 2016 NFL Draft.