NFL Draft 2019: Darrell Henderson could solve Chiefs RB woes
By Thomas Welte
Weaknesses
More from Arrowhead Addict
- Former Chiefs cornerback in legal trouble in Las Vegas
- Chiefs Kingdom: Get ready to break contract news
- Chiefs news: Travis Kelce wants to host fan ‘chug-off’ in Germany
- Podcast: Breaking down the Chiefs biggest roster battles
- KC Chiefs send Dave Merritt to NFL coaching accelerator
I am not worried about Darrell Henderson’s size, although some may be. I do have other concerns about Henderson, most of which revolve around his role in the passing game and his role as a potential full-time player.
Hands: You would expect a player like Henderson in a spread system to have some impressive receiving numbers, but Henderson never broke 300 yards receiving and only managed 8 receiving touchdown in 3 years as a starter. There are flashes of inconsistency when Henderson is attempting to catch passes. He has not shown the ability to make difficult catches or adjust to difficult throws. There is also some concern about ball security, as Henderson has 4 fumbles in his career and he tends to carry the ball low and near his hip, something that will have to be corrected at the next level.
Durability: While Henderson has avoided any major injuries, he has been nicked up quite a bit and has not endured a very heavy workload as a college player. While it is good that Henderson has not been run into the ground, he has significantly less touches in his career than many comparable players. Henderson has 494 total touches in his 3-year career, compare that to Kentucky’s Benny Snell who has 740 touches. Of course, this can be interpreted in a number of ways both positive and negative but for now, this is counting against Henderson as it is an unknown if he can handle the high volume workload of the NFL.
Role: This is likely the biggest question around Henderson, as NFL teams will have to find out exactly what to do with Henderson. While he has been highly productive, the reality is he is an undersized, average athlete with durability concerns and shaky production as a pass catcher. Henderson in many ways is a bit of a paradox, especially when you consider his elite production without possessing any truly elite skills. NFL teams will have to decide if they think Henderson can be a lead back, or if he will be a part of a committee. That determination will greatly affect Henderson’s draft position.