I'm not quite sure what is going on at Titans HQ these days, but I sure wish they'd send me a memo or a newsletter or something. They have a former first second round pick ready to step up at RB, they're in desperate need of a game breaking WR and they pass on USC wide receiver Steve Smith in order to draft RB Chris Henry (50th overall)
A rare glimpse of the man in action....wait, no, it's a scrimmage: Titans RB Chris Henry
A running back didn't seem like the Titans' biggest need, but if they were going to draft a running back with a 2nd round pick why draft this one? Henry was a backup for most of his collegiate career and only started the final four games of last season. He finished with 581 yards and 7 TDs for 2006 and career totals of 892 yards and 9 TDs. That's it. They passed on Brian Leonard for that? I think LenDale White has more career yardage than that just in bowl games.
There are two things I take away from this pick. One, Chris Henry is not very good. He might have impressed at the combine, he may be considered an "underachiever", but there is nothing to suggest that he has what it takes to be a starting NFL running back. This is a guy who was benched in college in favor of somebody named Gilbert Harris.
Two, this is a big slap in the head by Titans management to LenDale White. White was handed the starting job on a silver platter but between March 3rd (when Travis Henry was released) and April 28th (the NFL Draft) the Titans decided that they really, really needed to draft another running back. That is a very scary thought for fantasy players.
Instead of a running back by committee or a young player waiting a year to earn his starting spot, you now have a young player (White) with a lot of question marks about his weight and work ethic given a no-confidence vote by management. And the even younger player brought in to push him (Henry) isn't that good. Fantasy players may end up with a Jet-like scenario where any one of three running backs (White, Henry and don't forget Chris Brown) could start and could perform well, but you never know which one it will be until the end of the first quarter. Great, like I need another season of that.
I wouldn't expect much more than 30-35 carries for Henry, finishing up with around 125 yards and no rushing touchdowns. With stats like that, he's not worth drafting in your fantasy league unless LenDale White or Chris Brown get injured. Maybe not until both of them get injured.