Derrick Henry has led the Tennessee Titans to the AFC Championship Game Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs. He has become one of the top running backs in the league with speed and power. Somehow, despite winning the Heisman at Alabama he slipped to 45th in the 2016 NFL Draft. Here’s a look at those drafted before him.
44. Oakland: Jihad Ward
Jihad Ward has already been with three teams since being drafted by Oakland in 2016.
43. Tennessee: Austin Johnson
Austin Johnson has made 13 starts and had 2.5 sacks with the Titans.
42. Baltimore: Kamalei Correa
Kamalei Correa has found better luck in Tennessee than Baltimore. He has 8.5 sacks over his two seasons as a Titan after none in two years with the Ravens.
41. Buffalo: Reggie Ragland
Reggie Ragland missed his first season with a knee injury. On Aug. 28, 2017, Ragland was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs for a fourth-round draft pick in the 2019 NFL Draft.
40: New York Giants: Sterling Shepard
The Giants have made good with Sterling Shepard as one of their wideouts. He made 57 of his 247 catches in 2019 despite being limited to 10 games by injury.
39. Tampa Bay: Noah Spence
Noah Spence spent three seasons with Tampa Bay before moving on to Washington, where he played seven games in 2019.
38. Miami: Xavien Howard
Xavien Howard made the Pro Bowl in 2018. He is one of the best players on the Dolphins. However, on Dec. 29, Howard was arrested on domestic battery charges by the Davie (Fla.) Police Department. Howard allegedly pushed his fiancee into a mirror and causing her to fall.
37. Kansas City: Chris Jones
Chris Jones has become one of the main forces on the Kansas City defensive line. He’s ferocious and feared, notching 24.5 of his career 33 sacks in the last two seasons.
36. Jacksonville: Myles Jack
Myles Jack slipped here because of all sorts of injury fears about his knee. He was a two-way star and UCLA and played in all 16 games in each of his first three seasons before seeing action in 11 games in 2019.
35. San Diego: Hunter Henry
If Hunter Henry stayed healthy, the Chargers would be thrilled to have made this pick. However, he has been injured and missed much time. The Chargers still have to think of him as a one of the key parts to their receiving game … if he can find a way to stay on the field.
34. Dallas: Jaylon Smith
The Cowboys took a risk on Jaylon Smith out of Notre Dame and it has paid off. He suffered what was believed to be a career-threatening injury in college but Dallas was patient and he has turned into a solid linebacker.
33. Tennesse: Kevin Dodd
Kevin Dodd played with Tennessee for two seasons and has been out of football since.
32. Cleveland: Emmanuel Ogbah
Emmanuel Ogbah came to the Chiefs from the Browns in 2019. He tore a pec muscle in November and lost. The 26-year-old was well on his way to a career-best season. In 10 games he had 5.5 sacks, tying his single-season high from his rookie year in 2016.
31. Seattle: Germain Ifedi
Germain Ifedi had his fifth-year option declined by Seattle and will be a free agent in the off-season.
30. Carolina: Vernon Butler
Vernon Butler finally broke into the starting line for the Panthers this season. He made nine starts and showed some progress with six sacks. Before that, he had two over three seasons with appearances in 38 games.
29. Arizona: Robert Nkemdiche
Robert Nkemdiche had a huge rep at Ole Miss. However, off-field issues caused him to slide and he didn’t do anything to help himself with play in Arizona. He had another checkered season due to injury and suspension with Miami in 2019.
28. San Francisco: Joshua Garnett
Joshua Garnett was cut by the Niners on the final day of training camp in 2019.
27. Green Bay: Kenny Clark
Kenny Clark is a great pick by the Pack at this slot. He’s in on plenty of plays and has 16.5 sacks over four seasons, including 12 split over the last two.
26. Denver: Paxton Lynch
Paxton Lynch can only be described as a total bust.
25. Pittsburgh: Artie Burns
Artie Burns does not have a great last name for a DB and he has been burned often and heard about it in Pittsburgh. A disappointment.
24. Cincinnati: William Jackson
William Jackson finished 2019 with 37 tackles, three passes defensed and one interception through 14 games and 13 starts. The Bengals have picked up his fifth-year option.
23. Minnesota: Laquon Treadwell
Laquon Treadwell has proven to be less than what Minnesota hoped for when choosing him. He has 65 catches over four seasons, including nine in 2019.
22. Washington: Josh Doctson
Josh Doctson never delivered what Washington expected and the team gave up on him. He appeared in one game with Minnesota this season and has no catches.
21. Houston: Will Fuller
Will Fuller would be considered a steal at the 21st slot .., if he could stay healthy. He’s a great deep threat for Deshaun Watson but has only played 42 games over four seasons.
20. New York Jets: Darron Lee
Darron Lee is a Kansas City Chief after spending three seasons with the Jets. In KC, he has played in all 16 regular-season games and made two starts in 2019.
19. Buffalo: Shaq Lawson
Shaq Lawson has 16.5 sacks while making 17 starts in 50 games played as a Bill.
18. Indianapolis: Ryan Kelly
Ryan Kelly is one of the keys to a strong offensive line in Indianapolis. He was named to his first Pro Bowl in 2019.
17. Atlanta: Keanu Neal
The Atlanta Falcons have a strong defender in Keanu Neal. There is a big question about him despite the Falcons picking up his fifth-year option. He has played in four games over the last two seasons due to injuries.
16. Detroit: Taylor Decker
Taylor Decker has been okay for the Lions. He isn’t a superstar and he isn’t a bust. The Lions seem to believe he is one of the linemen they can bank on.
15. Cleveland: Corey Coleman
Corey Coleman was a bust in Cleveland moved on to a number of teams. He was injured in training camp last season while with the Giants.
14. Oakland: Karl Joseph
Karl Joseph has yet to play a full season over four years with the Raiders. He has appeared in 49 games, making 41 starts with four interceptions and three sacks.
13. Miami: Laremy Tunsil
Laremy Tunsil slipped to the Dolphins and he turned out to be a strong pick. However, he was dealt to Houston before the 2019 season. Tunsil has done an excellent job for the Texans. But the point of the exercise is him being picked before Derrick Henry and Miami has traded him. So …
12. New Orleans: Sheldon Rankins
Sheldon Rankins made 32 starts over 2017 and ’18 for New Orleans. However, he was injured in 2019 and played in 10 games, starting none.
11. Tampa Bay: Vernon Hargreaves
Vernon Hargreaves is on his second team, having been dealt cut by the Bucs and claimed off waivers by the Houston Texans in November of 2019.
10. New York Giants: Eli Apple
Eli Apple fizzled in New York and was dealt to New Orleans. He’s seen a lot of playing time for the Saints and continues to draw criticism for being an easy target of opposing quarterbacks.
9. Chicago: Leonard Floyd
Leonard Floyd has 18.5 sacks in his first four seasons with the Bears. He has started every game he played in, a total of 54, including 32 in a row over the past two seasons.
8. Tennessee: Jack Conklin
The Titans have declined the fifth-year option on Jack Conklin, who spent time on IR in 2018 but started all 16 regular-season games in 2019. He has had a strong season and one has to wonder if Tennessee wishes it had picked up that option.
7. San Francisco: DeForest Buckner
DeForest Buckner is going to be in the NFC Championship Game with his 49ers. He has 28.5 sacks in four seasons. This year was down to 7.5 from a high of 12 in 2018.
6. Baltimore: Ronnie Stanley
Ronnie Stanley made his first Pro Bowl in 2019 and is one of the important pieces on the Ravens’ line that blocks for Lamar Jackson and Mark Ingram.
5. Jacksonville: Jalen Ramsey
Jalen Ramsey was part of the discontent in Jacksonville. Controversial and never shy, the defensive back is one of the best.
4. Dallas: Ezekiel Elliott
No one will have any qualms about the Dallas Cowboys choosing Ezekiel Elliott where they did. The former Ohio State star has delivered in a big way for the Star.
3. San Diego: Joey Bosa
Joey Bosa is a gem. A fierce defensive lineman who has compiled 40 sacks in 49 career starts. A huge part of the foundation of the Chargers’ defense.
2. Philadelphia: Carson Wentz
Injuries have put a damper on what Carson Wentz brings to the Philadelphia Eagles. That’s the major cause for concern and every season it grows.
1. Los Angeles Rams: Jared Goff
Jared Goff has gotten the Rams to a Super Bowl, albeit a loss. He’s had his ups and downs. Goff is the QB of the present and future in LA.
45. Derrick Henry
Derrick Henry has become the force that moves the Titans’ rushing attack. And he can do damage after catching passes, too. The Heisman winner out of Alabama won the 2019 rushing crown and has 3833 yards on the ground and 38 TDs in four seasons. You can add in 578 receiving yards and another trio of scores.
