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Derrick Henry hopes to bulldoze his way into distinct NFL role

If past performance is indicative of future returns, then the NFL record book might not be safe from Derrick Henry.

If past performance is indicative of future returns, then the NFL record book might not be safe from Derrick Henry.

The former Alabama tailback won the Heisman Trophy in 2015 with a year for the ages, his 2,219 rushing yards and 28 touchdowns establishing single-season records in the vaunted Southeastern Conference. And though it was Henry's lone year as the Crimson Tide's lead back, he vaulted past former NFL MVP Shaun Alexander to become the school's all-time leading rusher (3,591 yards).

Yet those numbers are pedestrian compared to what Henry posted in high school at Yulee, Fla., where he finished with 12,124 career rushing yards, breaking a national mark that had stood for nearly six decades. He ran for a state record 4,261 yards during a senior season that included 55 TDs. 

But despite such accomplishments, Henry remains humble and soft spoken.

"It was all a blessing, and I had a lot of help with everything I received this year," he told USA TODAY Sports. "Just staying grounded and focused got me to where I am today."

That approach is probably wise because, despite his impressive resume, Henry is hardly regarded as a slam dunk pro prospect.

Among the critiques:

— At 6-3, 247 pounds, he might be too big and lack the quickness to succeed in the NFL.

— Henry only had 17 catches in three seasons at Alabama, and his lack of receiving production could limit his value as an every-down back.

— He's already shouldered a tremendous workload, including 395 carries last year — 68 more than NFL leader Adrian Peterson had in 2015 — not to mention the mileage he accrued in high school.

— The modest success (at best) that Tide predecessors Mark Ingram, Trent Richardson, Eddie Lacy and T.J. Yeldon have experienced in the NFL after monster college careers doesn’t portend stardom for Henry.

"He's a tall, high-cut, long-legged back — which is atypical, and those backs struggle in the NFL just because there's a lot more vertical mass to aim at," said NFL Network chief draft analyst Mike Mayock, who rates Henry behind Ohio State's Ezekiel Elliott among this draft's tailback prospects and regards him as a probable second-round pick.

"Having said that, I really like the kid. ... I think he can carry the ball 25 times a game. I think he gets stronger as the game goes on, and I think even though his feet aren't the same as Elliott, I think he's got good feet and he's difficult to tackle. So I value him."

Mayock's assessment is far more complimentary than some of the ones Henry heard last year, when some pundits whispered he was a byproduct of Alabama's dominant talent pool and might last until the final day of the draft — meaning he was no better than a fourth rounder.

Did Henry listen?

"I really didn't," he said. "I just go out to the best of my ability and make plays. Wasn't worried about it, it was just all talk. I let my ability speak for itself."

It seems to have spoken volumes in recent months.

Henry, 21, ran a 4.54 40-yard dash and managed a 37-inch vertical leap at the scouting combine in February, showing rare explosiveness for a man his size. At Alabama's March 9 pro day, he displayed soft hands and solid route running while jumping into receiver drills. And though he may lack elite lateral moves, his propensity as a one-cut runner who quickly gets upfield and almost always produces positive yardage should make him an ideal fit in many NFL systems.

Henry sloughs off questions about his odometer. 

"Carries in high school?" he asks. "That's like years ago. I only had a significant amount of carries this year."

He does proclaim a willingness to accept a high volume of touches but notes he's perfectly happy being part of a two-back system after sharing the ball with Yeldon, now a member of the Jacksonville Jaguars, in 2014. 

"I like making plays and having the ball in my hands, but I wouldn't really say (I need) a heavy workload," said Henry. "I just love making plays for my team."

And he warns against lumping him in with recent Tide backs, including Richardson, one of the league's biggest draft busts in recent years and a man who recently admitted an inability to stay focused in the NFL.

"I'm me," said Henry, who has a reputation as a hard worker. "I'm not Trent Richardson. I'm not Mark Ingram."

Henry has had private visits with the Dallas Cowboys and Seattle Seahawks and may yet climb into the back of the first round, where teams like the Carolina Panthers and Denver Broncos could also desire his services.

At least one former NFL star likes what he sees.

"A lot of people want to compare him to Eddie George, those bigger type of guys, but he's different than that. He has the speed to outrun some of the faster guys in the open field, and a lot of guys don't like to hit him," said former all-pro running back Maurice Jones-Drew, now an NFL Network analyst. "He creates a whole different type of back we haven't seen in a long time.

"He gives a different dynamic to a team. He's what we like to call a four-minute guy. When the game is on the line, and you have to run the clock out, you feed him the ball, you feed him early and often. He wears down a defense and he'll take a team from the bottom to the top because he's able to handle the workload."

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Follow Nate Davis on Twitter @ByNateDavis

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