Former Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott is widely regarded as the top prospect at his position in this year’s NFL Draft.
That’s despite an incredible season by Alabama RB Derrick Henry, who earned the Heisman Trophy after averaging 147.9 rushing yards per game, 2nd only to Leonard Fournette, and scoring a touchdown in every game.
Former Michigan State defensive end Shilique Calhoun, who faced both players this season, has his own take on which back is tougher to play against.
“I would say definitely Derrick Henry,” Calhoun said, according to Michael Casagrande of AL.com. “He’s a bigger guy. He did a great job of falling forward. Pretty much on all of his runs, somehow, some way, he found a way to fall forward. Of course, he’s a bigger guy. I mean, we’re pretty much the same weight and height.”
Of course, the Spartans fared a little better against Elliott on Nov. 21 than they did against Henry in the College Football Playoff semifinal, both as a defense and as a team.
Despite complaining that he didn’t get the ball enough, Elliott was held to 33 yards on 12 carries with a touchdown. Meanwhile, Henry had more success with 75 yards on 20 carries, and he managed to get in the end zone twice.
Of course, Calhoun could’ve just pointed to the fact that Henry sent his 6-foot-4, 251-pound frame flying with a stiff-arm on the way to one of those touchdowns. The physics for that have yet to be explained.
.@KingHenry_2's stiff-arm is one you do not want to mess with…? #RollTide https://t.co/eg6wNP2UYj pic.twitter.com/yxY4uG4YkR
— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) January 11, 2016
I love the Derrick Henry stiff arm on an unhealthy level. pic.twitter.com/bUspvmS9Jx
— Ascot Friday (@Ascot_Friday) January 1, 2016
Born and raised in Gainesville, Talal joined SDS in 2015 after spending 2 years in Bristol as an ESPN researcher. Previously, Talal worked at The Gainesville Sun.
