Nick Saban says ‘nobody except us’ thought Derrick Henry could play running back in college
By Jyesha Nance
Published:
Arguably one of the greatest running backs in his generation, Derrick Henry was overlooked as a running back when he was being recruited out of high school, according to former Alabama coach Nick Saban.
“The amazing thing is nobody except us said Derrick Henry could play running back,” Saban claimed during the Pat McAfee show on Friday.
Here’s a clip of Saban’s comments:
Henry was a five-star recruit coming out of high school and was considered one of the nation’s top players. However, Saban said he was recruited as a defensive player by most programs.
Henry originally committed to play at Georgia during his junior year of school, but ultimately decided to play as a running back for Saban at Alabama by his senior year. “
I told him we’re recruiting you as a running back and you can do whatever you wanna do,” Saban added.
During three seasons at Alabama, Henry rushed for 3, 591 yards and 42 touchdowns on 603 carries. His time with the Crimson Tide culminated in 2015 with a Heisman Trophy and national championship. After college, Henry was selected No. 45 overall in the 2016 NFL Draft by the Tennessee Titans.
