Derrick Henry is the explosive running back for the Tennessee Titans. Henry has been phenomenal for the Titans ever since he transitioned to a starter from the 2018 season of the NFL. The Round 2 draft by the Titans has been a great choice for the team as he helped the team reach three consecutive Playoffs. Here is looking back at Derrick Henry’s NFL Draft.
Derrick Henry Draft: Year, Date, Round and Pick Number
| Draft Year | Round | Pick Number | NFL Team | Position | College | Conference (College) |
| 2016 | 2 | 45 | Tennessee Titans | Running Back | University of Alabama | National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) |
Grading Derrick Henry’s NFL Draft
Henry has been a great draft for the Tennessee Titans. He transitioned to a starter after two seasons as a backup player. He has since won two Pro-Bowls and one NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award (2020). He also holds the record for the longest rushing touchdown (99-yards) tied with Tony Dorsett. Henry goes down as a grade ‘A’ draft.
Derrick Henry’s Draft photo: How old was Derrick Henry when he went to the NFL?
Henry was 22 when he declared for the NFL draft and got picked by the Tennessee Titans. He was the second running back to be selected in the draft. He entered the draft as the Heisman Trophy winner of 2016 and helping the Crimson Red Tides to a College Football National Playoff Championship title. Henry had a total of 3591 rushing yards and 42 rushing touchdowns in his college career.
Derrick Henry’s Draft Bio and Profile
The NFL scouting report is prepared each year by NFL scouts to analyse the top prospects of each draft. Scouts look at college performances and Combine scores to assess the potential of players. Henry had a prospect rate of 6.7 (Year 1 starter) as per the NFL scouts. Here is a summary of his scouting report.
| Derrick Henry | Running Back, University of Alabama. 6 ft. 3 inches, 247 pounds |
| Summary | A great running back out of Alabama (a factory for running backs). He dominated in the college league and carried the Alabama offense on his back. Henry averaged 5.62 yards per carry (395 carries) in 2015 for 2,219 yards with 28 touchdowns with 11 receptions for 91 yards. He has great speed to push past opponents and he looks like a perfect fit for an NFL team with a zone blocking system. |
| Positives | Physically imposing runner with a straight line of speed. Surpising ability to break off long runs. Can run over defenders and rarely ever goes down on first contact. He looks impossible to arm tackle. Has great balance to make it to the end zone and wear down defenders. Ready to join an NFL team immediately. |
| Negatives | Very tall for a running back. Lacks a certain level of elusiveness and looks stiff at times. He is on the heavier side and should drop some weight. |
| NFL Combine Note | 40 Yard Dash: 4.54 seconds, Bench Press: 22 reps, 20 Yard Split: 2.67 seconds, 10 Yard Split: 1.60 seconds, Three Cone Drill: 7.20 seconds, Vertical Leap: 37 inches, Broad Jump: 10 feet 10 inches & 20 Yard Shuttle: 4.38 seconds |
How many running backs were chosen before Derrick Henry?
Derrick Henry was the second running back to be selected in the 2016 NFL Draft. He was overall pick number 45 in the Second Round of the Draft.
- Ezekiel Elliot
Elliot was overall pick number 4 in Round 1 of the 2016 NFL Draft. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys and named the starting running back for the regular season. Since his rookie season, Elliot has impressed for the Cowboys and even led the league in rushing yards in his rookie season and in 2018. He is a 3 time Pro-Bowler and continues to remain their starting running back.
Who was the #1 Pick In The NFL When Derrick Henry Got Drafted?
Jared Goff was the first player to be picked in the 2016 NFL Draft. The quarterback was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams and impressed for them after an underwhelming rookie season. Goff was the mos sought after quarterback prospect in 2016 coming from the University of California, Berkeley. Goff helped the Rams reach their first Super Bowl appearance since 2001. He was traded to the Detroit Lions in 2021.
Who was Titans' RB before Henry?
Henry spent his initial two seasons at the Titans as the backup to veteran running back DeMarco Murray. Murray retired in 2017 after two seasons as the Titans’ running back. He won the NFL Offensive Palyer of the Year award in 2014 as a Dallas Cowboys player. As a Titans player he completed 1947 rushing yards and 15 rushing touchdowns.
Who was the running back before Derrick Henry at Alabama?
Henry replaced T.J. Yeldon as the starting running back for the Crimson Red Tides in 2015. Yeldon was a 2nd Round pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2015 NFl Draft. He spent 4 seasons as a Jaguars player before being traded to the Buffalo Bills. Jackson only featured as a starting player in his rookie year at the NFL. He is currently a free agent in the NFL.
