Chicago Bears: Player comparisons for top RB prospects

Darrell Henderson, Memphis

Player Comparison: Maurice Jones-Drew

Perhaps the most explosive running back in the draft, Memphis Tigers running back Darrell Henderson would be the finishing touch to a truly exciting Bears offense.

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Henderson is fast, ferocious, and has the best pure big-play ability in the entire draft.

At this point, you might as well be asking why Henderson isn’t a projected first round pick. After a 1909 yard season, Henderson has nothing left to prove.

Unfortunately enough, the one knock against Henderson is the one thing that is completely out of his control. His height.

Henderson stands at just 5-foot-9, which is short, even for a running back. Sure, short players, such as the Bears’ very own Tarik Cohen, have been able to succeed in the NFL, but it hasn’t come nearly as easy as it has for players with a more prototypical NFL body.

Regardless, thanks to his big-play ability and big numbers throughout his college career, Henderson will still have a chance to start in the NFL. Hopefully, the Bears will be the team to present him with that chance.

As a matter of fact, if Henderson can shake off the knocks against his height, he has a great outlook to produce much like a fellow short running back. That player is Maurice Jones-Drew.

The former Jacksonville Jaguars running back stood just 5-foot-9 as well but was one of the best players in the NFL on the offensive side for quite a few years. Jones-Drew had no troubles being the main piece of the Jags offense, proving that his height was no detriment against his football ability.

Jones-Drew was a big-time playmaker and provided many sparks to a run-heavy Jaguars offense. Henderson won’t be called on to make plays of that magnitude, but if he can provide the same big plays and long yardage that Jones-Drew did for many years, the Bears will have a franchise running back on their hands.