Los Angeles Rams general manager Les Snead was feeling left out whenever New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara lined up against his team, so he made a move in the 2019 NFL Draft to go get someone like the young Saints superstar. The Rams selected former Memphis Tigers running back Darrell Henderson with a third-round draft pick, but Snead pushed hard to add the rookie sooner.
“The Memphis guy gives us a Kamara element,” Snead said on an episode of “Behind the Grind,” which documented the Rams offseason with video from inside their draft room. Snead was seen mulling over whether they should select Henderson earlier in the draft, and he wasn’t convinced that the dynamo would be available later on, fearing another team might beat them to the punch. “We’ll play against him and you’ll feel it,” he warned Rams head coach Sean McVay.
But the Rams were able to draft Henderson after all, and McVay was pleased with the pick, saying, “We’d identified him as a guy that has a specific skill set, that really can do some unique things for us offensively. He was one of those guys that stood out for us, so we’re excited about getting him here.”
Now, whether Henderson will be able to mimic Kamara remains to be seen. Henderson was an electric runner in college, averaging an astounding 8.9 rushing yards per attempt and notching 15.5 receiving yards per catch. He’ll be second-fiddle to Rams featured back Todd Gurley, much like Kamara did to start his Saints career behind Mark Ingram.
The Saints may have seen this move coming. They put Henderson through a private workout during the pre-draft process, to better judge his abilities and estimate what he might accomplish in the pros. The Rams have become one of the Saints’ chief rivals outside their division, and it’s possible they took steps to prepare accordingly. Now, Henderson will be one of their earliest opponents when the Saints visit Los Angeles for a big Week 2 game in the regular season.
