Representatives of the National Football League were treated to something special during the 2016 Scouting Combine, as former Alabama running backs Derrick Henry and Kenyan Drake competed against each other. While people were initially taken away by Henry’s athleticism – despite his 250-pound frame at 6-foot-3 – Drake had his own niche in carving out attention.
His combination of having a solid 40-time, exceptional hands at receiver, and strong maneuvers as a runner made it simple for the Miami Dolphins to select him in the third round.
The competition continues for Crimson Tide backs; however, one will get a better opportunity to generate more headlines than the other. For Josh Jacobs, he received much press in the latter portion of 2018 – seeing how his style led to him getting more carries in Alabama’s offense.
He was an all-purpose player in his three-year career and while analysts see him as the perfect version of the modern-day professional back, Jacobs (groin) won’t participate in any workouts on Friday at the Combine.
RELATED: Josh Jacobs to Sit Out NFL Combine
With this being said, Damien Harris eyes this as a moment for him to potentially work his way into possibly being a higher draft pick in April.
Harris, a former five-star from Kentucky, ended his tenure at Alabama as the program’s eighth leading rusher with 3,073 yards and 23 touchdowns. He came 124 yards of becoming the first back in school history to record three straight 1,000-yard seasons.
A well-spoken individual, Harris is one of few players that fans regard as a “ambassador” of the institution.
The 5-foot-10, 216-pounder could have turned pro after the 2017 campaign; nevertheless, he chose to return to school because he loves the community. Behind Harris, Alabama earned a College Football Playoff national title in 2017 and a Southeastern Conference title in 2018.
He measured out with 30 ¾” arms, 9 ¾” hands and finished in the middle of the pack at his position in the bench press – hitting 16 reps of 225 pounds.
Despite this year’s class of back having the likes of Elijah Holyfield (Georgia), Benny Snell (Kentucky), Devin Singletary (Florida Atlantic), Myles Gaskin (Washington) and Bryce Love (Stanford), Harris anticipates finding a way to stand out and create a chance for him to make a lot of value for himself.
According to NFL.com, Harris was given a draft grade of 5.80 — which means he has a chance to become a starter in the league.
Tide nation is rooting for him.
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Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
