After leading rusher from last season Lamar Miller signed with the Houston Texans during the offseason, the Miami Dolphins are hoping the running backs on their roster are good enough to replace his production.
Many expect second-year player Jay Ajayi to become the Dolphins starter. While Ajayi could potentially start, the player that could change that is 2016 third round pick Kenyan Drake.
While Drake was mostly used as a backup during his time at the University of Alabama, he was in many ways their swiss army knife. At 6-1, 210 pounds, Drake has good size and speed out of the backfield, but there have been a lot of questions about can he be an every-down back in the NFL.
Drake isn’t worried about his critics. He just wants to help the Dolphins improve in whatever role the coaches decide to use him.
“People can say what they want to say, honestly; but I know my game and (I’m) coming in and just trying to help this team win games, point blank period,” Drake said. “Being a receiving back or being an every-down back, which I know I have the capabilities of being, I just want to go ahead and prove that I can be a contributor to this team.”
In his four seasons at Alabama, Drake suffered a number of injuries, which include a broken arm and leg. If he can stay healthy and shed the injury-prone status, Drake could help the Dolphins in a number of ways.
While at Alabama, Drake beat defenders with his speed around the middle and at the perimeter in the passing game. He also has excellent vision and the patience to allow offensive linemen to open up holes for him.
Miami offensive coordinator Clyde Christensen has been impressed with how Drake has performed during the team’s OTAs the last three weeks.
“Drake has been excellent,” Christensen said. “I’ve really been impressed and Kenyan, certainly, being one of those guys. He has won a bunch of football games. He understands how fine a line it is to win football games.”
Drake should be an excellent complement to Ajayi. Miami can use Drake in the team’s passing game in addition to the running game. Drake is faster than a lot of linebackers and he is just as big as an NFL safety, so that could be a mismatch Dolphins head coach Adam Gase and Christensen attempt to exploit.
Drake also has the ability to help the Dolphins on special teams as a returner. In the fourth quarter of Alabama’s 45-40 victory in the 2016 National Championship Game, Drake returned a 95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.
No one knows how good of a pro Drake can become, but he should become a contributor this season for the Dolphins. Drake doesn’t have any specific goals for himself other than to help the Dolphins win games any way he can.
“You come in and you just want to help this team win games,” Drake said. “That’s my No. 1 goal is coming in and helping this team win games. The depth chart is not any of my concern, especially right now in OTAs when we don’t even have pads on. I just look at it as a chance to get better every day (and) compete, in the sense that you’re competing to push each other to be the best that you can be. So depth chart isn’t really my concern.”
You can follow Antwan on Twitter @antwanstaley
