Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Tennessee Titans REPLACEMENT Options for Derrick Henry & Complement Backs in the 2023 NFL Draft

Episode Date: April 11, 2023

The Tennessee Titans have to consider life without Derrick Henry at some point and if they make a move to get ahead of it in this year's draft there are a good amount of options like Bijan Robinson or Jahmyr Gibbs. Also, the Titans may look for a complement back to Derrick Henry and in the mid-rounds there are some great options like Zach Charbonnet or Devon Achane.Follow Tyler on Twitter @TicTacTitansFollow the show on Facebook @LockedOnTitansPodSubscribe to the Locked On Titans YouTube channel:https://www.youtube.com/c/LockedOnTitans/videosSupport Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!BetterHelpThis episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. BetterHelp connects you with a licensed therapist who can take you on that journey of self-discovery from wherever you are. Visit BetterHelp.com/lockedon today to get 10% off your first month.Built BarBuilt Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order.Ultimate Football GMTo download the game just visit Ultimate-GM.com or look it up on the app stores. Our listeners get a 100% free boost to their franchise when using the promo LOCKEDON (ALL CAPS) in the game store.FanDuelMake Every Moment More. Don’t miss the chance to get your No Sweat First Bet up to ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS in Bonus Bets when you go FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON.FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Will the Tennessee Titans look to replace Derrick Henry in the NFL Draft? There are some great options to do so, but also some good compliments to Derrick Henry as well. We're going to go over all of that and more on today's edition of the Locked on Titans podcast. Let's get it. You are Locked on Titans, your daily on Titans podcast. I am your host, Tyler Rowland, Titans fans. Today we continue the 2023 Locked on Titans NFL Draft Preview Series with the running back position. draft preview series with the running back position.

There are some running backs in the draft who could be replacements for Derrick Henry long term, but there are also some really solid running backs in the draft who could compliment Derrick Henry in the mid rounds. We're going to get into all of that and more. Before we do, I want to thank you guys for making the Locked on Titans podcast your first listen every day. Remember, Monday through Friday, Tennessee Titans content on all platforms, all year long,

and always for free. Make sure you get subscribed and stay subscribed to the Locked on Titans podcast, part of the Locked on Podcast Network, your team, every day. Make sure you throw a thumbs up

on the video as well. The content is always free. All I ask for in return is the press of a button. Once again, we're diving into the running backs today. We're going to go position by position throughout the entire offense, the entire defense as we go through the next few weeks leading up to the draft. We talked about quarterbacks on yesterday's show, so go back and check that out if you missed it after you get done listening to today's show. But diving into this running back group, and you have to start with Bijan Robinson from Texas. There's just no way to start anywhere else. 5'11", 215 pounds. And let me just say this out of the gate. Watching B. John Robinson

on tape, it reminded me of LaDainian Tomlinson. That's what I saw in B. John Robinson's game. Same size as LT. LaDainian Tomlinson was 5'10", 215. You got B. John who's 5'11", 215. They just strike me as similar players. And growing up, maybe I'm aging myself a little bit here, but LaDainian Tomlinson was my favorite running back, period. Of course, I loved Eddie George. He just got a little bit older into high school for me. Loved Chris Johnson. But LaDainian Tomlinson was my favorite running back.

And watching Bijan Robinson, that's what I get. I mean, he gives you everything. Vision, burst through his cuts, incredible contact balance. He could be a receiver out of the backfield. Yeah, maybe he needs to lower his pad level and drive guys a little bit more. Maybe he's not the most violent guy taking on contact nonstop, and he needs to get better as a pass blocker. But overall, B. John Robinson is a stud complete back.

And look, I think it would be absolutely insane for the Titans to take B. John Robinson at number 11. Unless they trade Derrick Henry. If they trade Derrick Henry, then sure. Then sure, I would consider taking a running back this high. But I'm sorry, even if the Titans trade Derrick Henry, there's no way, there's no way I'm taking a running back at number 11. B. John Robinson or not.

I'm just simply not doing it. That is my policy. Not taking running back in first round. I'm not doing it. So think Derrick Henry was found in the middle of the second round. So you just don't do it. But B. John Robinson, incredible prospect. I don't think there's any real chance that he ends up with the Titans, though,

because at the end of the day, B. John Robinson is going to be drafted in the first round, and I just don't see the Titans taking him with the No. 11 pick despite all of his skills. For me, a guy who makes more sense for the Titans and is more realistic in the mid-rounds, in the second round primarily, is Jameer Gibbs from Alabama. I mean, this guy, this is one of my guys in this draft class.

Jameer Gibbs, 5'9", 199 pounds. To me, and I've seen this comparison before, but Alvin Kamara. That's what you get when you see Jameer Gibbs. Alvin Kamara. Now, I saw a comparison earlier today when I was doing some scouting. It said he's got some Chris Johnson to him as well, and I get it with the speed. To me, Gibbs is just the perfect fit with Derrick Henry

and as a potential replacement for Derrick Henry as well. Gibbs is good enough, in my opinion, that if you pair him with a backup power back, he can be your number one guy like the Saints have done with Kamara. They always had Melvin Ingram. They had Latavius Murray for a little while. I think that that pairing of Derrick Henry and Jameer Gibbs could be absolutely incredible in the backfield. And when the Titans move on from Derrick Henry in the next few years, Gibbs is good enough to slide into that primary role while also

having a little bit of a compliment as a backup. And when the Titans get rid of Derrick Henry, when Derrick Henry is gone from the Titans, they're going to go to a committee approach. They're not going to, it's not like they're going to treat Gibbs like he's Derrick Henry. That's not how this is going to work. So that's why I'm saying a replacement for Derrick Henry, because he will become the Titans lead running back,

number one running back, even if number one running back for the Titans in the future isn't the same as number one running back for the Titans when they have Derrick Henry. But I mean, Gibbs is quick with his feet. He makes sudden cuts. He runs with good tempo. Guys, you don't just sprint the whole time when you're a receiver running routes or a running back running the ball.

You got to set things up. You got to have patience. You got to have a good tempo to you and how you use your speed and vary your speed. And Gibbs does that excellently. He's patient as a runner, waits for his blocks to be set up, waits for his offensive linemen to create the right angles. Not only that, but he's explosive. There are a lot of guys who play with good tempo, who play with good patience,

who are quick in and out of their cuts, but they don't have the long speed that Gibbs does. And not only that, but Gibbs is going to be incredible as a pass catcher. I see social misfits saying it. He can play in the slot. He can return kicks as well. He can be a kick returner for the Titans. So Gibbs benefits the Titans in a ton of different ways. I mean, he is just a perfect, perfect fit.

Now, again, Gibbs is not a workhorse. He had 20 touches, touches, not carries, 20 touches only seven times out of 31 games. So Gibbs is not the workhorse back. He's not a real finisher at the goal line. Also, he only had two touchdowns in goal-to-go situations during his college career. But the Titans and what they need with Derrick Henry

and then what the backfield's going to look like after Derrick Henry, Gibbs would just be absolutely perfect. Absolutely perfect as a fit. Now, the Titans would probably have to take him at pick number 41. There's no way around it. He's not going to fall any further than that. Gibbs is not going to be there at pick 72. So would the Titans use their second round pick on a running back?

I don't know. But with Gibbs' ability to help as a pass catcher, with Gibbs' ability to be the lead running back going forward, with Gibbs' ability to help as a returner in his first year, Mike Vrabel said, go get me some returners to Rand Carton this all season. I think all of that together would be just a wonderful package for the Titans,

even if they got to do it at pick 41. If they like Gibbs that much to pick him at 41, I'm totally on board with it. But there are some other options that could be replacements as the Titans power back for the Titans later in the draft.

I'm already seeing some people in the chat mentioning some of the names that I like. We're going to get into those in just a moment. Before we do, I want to let you know that today's episode is brought to you by the ultimate pro football GM app. Look, if you want to draft players, if you want to sign and cut players, if you want to hire and fire coaches and scouts, set your base formation,

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Before we get into some mid-round options that are more power running backs that could be a replacement for Derrick Henry, I do want to thank you guys for making the Locked on Titans podcast your first listen every day, Monday through Friday, Tennessee Titans content on all platforms, all year long and always for free. Make sure you get subscribed and stay subscribed to the Locked on Titans podcast. I like what Jonah Rios has to say.

Everybody smash the like button, smash the like button and let me know which running back in the draft you think would be the best fit for the Titans. So right now we're talking about replacements for Derrick Henry that could be the Titans' lead running back. Maybe not this year. Let me explain this. I'm not saying that the Titans are getting rid of Derrick Henry this year. That's not what I'm saying.

But what I am saying is that the Titans need to think about life after Derrick Henry and taking a guy who could be a compliment to Derrick Henry early on and then take over the starting job later. That's the kind of guys that we're looking at right now. I talked about Jameer Gibbs and Bijan Robinson. Robinson, probably a little too rich for the Titans to take him, but Gibbs could make a ton of sense and he could be a compliment to Derrick Henry at first

and then become the lead back with a backup power back later on. But we also do have to acknowledge maybe the Titans trade Derrick Henry. I don't think it's likely, but it's something that's been whispered about this offseason. And if they trade Derrick Henry, they are going to need a power back to take his place. And a lot of people are talking about Hassan Haskins in the chat. And look, Haskins is a third running back, in my opinion, on the depth chart. He's never going to be your one or your two. He's a guy who's great on special teams coverage units,

and he's a guy who's good in pass protection. But Haskins doesn't have the burst or the explosiveness to be a lead primary back. He doesn't have the shake and the route running ability to be your primary pass catching running back. He is a third running back and a really good third running back who plays special teams, pass protects, can come in and maybe get two to three carries a game

to just run it up the gut. I'm sorry, folks, but Hassan Haskins is never going to be a guy who runs the ball consistently for the Titans. So, with that in mind, who could be a power back that makes sense for the Titans? And I'm already seeing some people throw his name in the chat. It's Roshon Johnson from Texas. Six foot, 220 pounds.

Dude, for a guy his size, he has very quick feet. He's able to move his feet quickly behind the line of scrimmage, and he is a physical runner that will plow forward. He's not going to stop on first contact. He's a guy who is going to push and push and push. A physical, downhill, tough runner. Exactly what you're thinking about. Not only that, but he's a guy who's a good blocker.

I'm not just talking about pass protection in the backfield, but Texas ran a lot of two running back sets with Robinson and Johnson, and Johnson would be used as a lead blocker for B. John Robinson. So he's a guy who can be somewhat of a pseudo fullback for you as well. So I love that. He is a guy who's great on special teams. I mean, they rave about Johnson on special teams, the type of leader he is in the locker room.

He was their best guy on coverage units at Texas this year, led the team in special teams tackles so he is a guy who would probably replace Hassan Haskins and has more ability as an actual runner as well now look Johnson is not a feature back when I talked earlier last segment about how you would get Jameer Gibbs and even when Derrick Henry's gone

Gibbs would be your number one running back, but you would need a power running back to pair with him in a committee setting. Johnson would be perfect in that role as a backup running back who's your power complement back within a committee. He would be a guy who fills that perfectly. And he's not a feature back.

That's the point. So that's why he's going to go in the third, fourth round and make more sense for the Titans. I talked about him having quick feet, bouncing behind the line of scrimmage. Sometimes he has a tendency to take too many steps behind the line of scrimmage. He's just a downhill runner without a lot of rhythm or tempo to him.

He is going to be a backup. But if the Titans were to trade Derrick Henry for any reason and wanted to replace him with a power back and go to more of a committee approach, I think Roshon Johnson could make a ton of sense for the Titans. Now, the last guy that I want to mention as, well, not the last guy, but a guy who I think could also fill that role is Izzy Abanacanda from Pitt. 5'10", 215 pounds. This guy has insanely quick feet, makes incredible cuts to the outside. He's got great vision.

He can find openings, and his acceleration is incredible. This guy has so many long touchdown runs. I mean, he is just a home run threat non-stop. Izzy Abanacanda. There you go. Love that with the pronunciation. I worked hard on that.

So I'm glad it's coming out well. The problem with Abanacanda is doesn't have great contact balance. He may be fast as lightning, but once he gets hit, he's not a guy who's going to fight through contact a ton or keep his balance there. Not only that, but he's not much of a short yard finisher as well.

Again, he's a home run threat with great speed as a receiver. He's an adequate receiver on like swing passes or screen passes, but he's got a little bit of a drops issue and he's not really going to do much in the way of pass protection. So he's really just a backup home run hitter who can be part of a committee. I think that Abanacanda will make some great plays at the NFL level, but again, he'll need to be part of a committee. And that's the kind of guy that we're looking at here. The last guy that I want to talk about, it could be somewhat of a replacement for Derrick Henry, at least in the way of being a tough runner for the Titans and maybe their primary ball carrier.

Sean Tucker from Syracuse. Now he's looking at the fifth or sixth round, which would make more sense for him. But Sean Tucker from Syracuse, 5'9", 207 pounds. He's a one-cut runner who makes a lot of sense in a zone system. He's got good burst.

He runs with great tempo. Again, varying your speeds while you're out there, not just running with sprint held down the entire time. He's got good patience to let blocks set up, which, again, would make him very good in an outside zone scheme. Another thing that Jonah Rios is pointing out, which I really appreciate, good comments there from you, Jonah, he can run wheel routes. He can run wheel routes.

He can run swing routes as a receiver. He's not a guy who's running a full route tree from a running back perspective, but he can do it well enough. Now, the thing with Sean Tucker is he doesn't have a lot of wiggle. He's not going to juke out guys in the hole and things like that. He doesn't have the best contact balance as a guy who can continue to power through contact,

and he's not really a yards after contact guy with that in mind as well. So that's why he'd be going in the fifth or sixth round. But I think he's a guy who, Rancarton was a part of the San Francisco organization when they got guys like Elijah Mitchell, when they got guys like Raheem Mostert. And although Tucker doesn't have maybe the speed that those guys had, I think he could be a similar draft pick in the late rounds for the Titans.

So now what we're going to do is we're going to transition into some complement options for the Titans. These aren't guys who are going to eventually be the lead running back or the number one running back for the Titans, but they're guys who can complement Derrick Henry's skill set and be basically a Dontrell Hilliard replacement in the mid rounds of the draft. So we're going to get to Titans fans, let's continue and cap off today's edition of the Locked on Titans podcast. We're breaking down running back options in the NFL draft.

We've talked about guys who could potentially replace Derrick Henry as a lead running back, whether that be Henry getting traded or just Derrick Henry leaving the Titans in the next few years. But now I want to transition into the compliment options that could come in and be that Dontrell Hilliard type running back to pair with Derrick Henry. Before we get into it, I do want to thank you guys again for making the Locked on Titans podcast your first listen every day. Remember, this is part of the 2023 Locked on Titans NFL Draft Preview Series. We talked quarterbacks yesterday. Go check that out

if you missed it. We're doing running backs today. We're going to move forward and hit wide receiver, tight end, offensive line, all the positions on the defense as we lead up to the NFL Draft. So make sure that you get subscribed and stay subscribed to the Locked on Titans podcast. But as for your second listen today, check out Locked on NFL Scouting with the draft dudes from free agency to the draft to salary cap management

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wherever you get your podcasts and on YouTube. It's part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team, every day. But diving in here, my number one compliment option for the Titans to pair with Derrick Henry is Zach Charbonnet from UCLA. He's 6'2", 220 pounds, so really good size as well. He runs with great vision, great tempo, and he is able to accelerate through the hole once he finds it.

He's a guy who, unlike some of the guys we just talked about recently, is a finisher from a yards after contact perspective. He does not go down on first contact. He will continue to plow through defenders. He's a guy who's really good at catching the ball out of the backfield. He's really good in pass protection, and he has excellent, excellent football character. He is goal-driven. He's not big on social media. He's not a limelight guy who wants the spotlight.

He just wants to put his head down and do the work. So, good size where he's not a guy who teams can ignore as a runner. Yards after contact ability, a finisher around the goal line if need be with his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield yards after contact ability, a finisher around the goal line if need be, with his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield and protect the passer and blocking. I mean, Charbonnet would be an excellent, excellent fit for the Titans. I love his fit. Now, the issue here is Charbonnet is probably going to be taken

in the second or third round, and I think that's a little too rich for the role that the Titans are going to have him in. The next guy that I want to talk about is my number one compliment to Derrick Henry in the entire NFL draft. I am in love. I am smitten.

He is my guy. I am beholden to Devon A. Chain. Out of Texas A&M. 5'8". 188 pounds. I get it, he's small, but dear God, is he fast. I wrote SPEED down in my notes, SPEED in all caps. This guy, I believe, is the fastest running back in the NFL draft.

It's between him and Gibbs. I do believe in terms of pure speed in the 40-yard dash. He has incredible combo cuts. He's not a guy who one cut runner, get downhill. He's a guy who can chain moves together like it's basketball, crossover, behind the back, step back, sham God, moving forward. He's a guy who can put all that together. Combinations of cuts that it's just hard for anybody to pull off cuts like he's able to do. It's absolutely fantastic. His

burst and acceleration once he makes a decision, I mean it is top tier. It is dynamic. It is explosive. He's incredible at making adjustments as well. If the hole that is designed to be there isn't there at the last moment, he can use that quickness to adjust to what happened.

He has great character as well. This is a hardworking dude who's not going to mess around, who's not going to get in trouble, and he has incredible ability as a receiver out of the backfield and as a kick returner. I mean, this dude is track speed explosive. Devon A-chain. Now look, he's a small guy.

And at 5'8", 190 pounds, he's not going to have the best contact power. He's not going to bull people over. He's not going to finish guys in short yardage situations. But that's what you have Derrick Henry for. Dontrell Hillier doesn't do any of that, and he needs to improve a little bit in his route running, but

my God, Devon A-Chain, my number one compliment back for the Titans. Yeah, reminds me of Austin Eckler, Robert Wilson. I love that. I love that. Just pure speed. The Titans need help from a speed perspective.

And this is exactly what they can do. I love Devon A. Chain. He is the perfect complement to Derrick Henry. You could probably get him in the third or fourth round. I think it might be worth it. What an explosive athlete. And if he falls to the fourth or fifth round, my lord, the Titans got to swoop him up.

Devon A-chain. My number one compliment option for the Titans. Next, you have Tajay Spears out of Tulane. 5'9", 200 pounds, so a bigger guy. Sorry, someone just said he never realized I was sitting down. I have tried some shows standing up. I do have a convertible desk that goes up and down, but I move around too much and it shakes the camera.

I have too much energy. I got to sit down. But Tajay Spears, incredibly quick feet, makes incredibly quick cuts as well. Great agility, great balance as well. Seeing him move around, it's obvious that he's got a good low center of gravity and he's pretty good in pass balance as well. Seeing him move around, it's obvious that he's got a good low center of gravity, and he's pretty good in pass protection as well,

and he's not as small as some of these other guys, so he's able to hold up in pass protection. He's not going to get blown up. The problem is he does have a smaller body at 5'9". The height kind of limits the amount of weight he can get on him. He's not a guy who powers through contact. He doesn't have great long speed either. He has good agility and good acceleration,

but he's not a guy who's going to beat everybody to the end zone and have home run ability. And there's some injury history with Tajay Spears. ACL tear, a hamstring issue last year. He absolutely dominated the bowl game. So I get why people like him so much, and I like Spears as well. If he gets to the fourth or fifth, sixth round, maybe the Titans could consider making a move to get him, but for my money, I think Spears probably not as good of

a fit for the Titans, but I do like him as an option if they ended up taking him. The last few guys I want to go over here, Zach Evans from Ole Miss. Probably a fourth or fifth round pick. 5'11", 205 pounds. Zach Evans has great balance. He's got burst. He's got speed. He makes incredibly explosive plays.

He's got some yards after contact ability to him, and he has an excellent stiff arm. Zach Evans has an awesome stiff arm, which could endear him to Derrick Henry. But he just doesn't run with very much patience. Doesn't have great vision and finding holes.

And when those two qualities are marks against you, gonna be hard to do well in an outside zone scheme. Pass protection, not a guy who does that very well, and character concerns for Zach Evans. He was suspended twice in high school. He's had injuries,

so you have all field concerns. You have injury concerns. That's going to rule him out to me, but his skill set would make sense as a compliment to Derrick Henry. The last guy that I want to mention here is Keaton Mitchell from Eastern Carolina. Even smaller, 5'7", 179 pounds. Start-stop quickness is unreal. His agility, he's able to shake defenders in the hole, move them around, juke them out. He runs with good patience. He does

have great long speed, great hands to pluck the ball out of the air. Incredibly shifty guy. But guy that small, he's afraid of contact on the inside. He bounces out runs to the outside all the time. He's a small guy. He's not going to run with much power. He hasn't really done anything special teams or pass protection wise. So we would have a very limited role for the Titans. And I just don't think that that's something that they're going to be looking at, but skill set wise, it does make a lot of sense. Some other guys who could make sense for the Titans, like a Tank Bigsby, Kendra Miller, Dwayne McBride, Chris Rodriguez, maybe Eric Gray, Kenny McIntosh, Deuce Vaughn, Evan Hall. I saw somebody mention earlier out of Northwestern. He could be a late round option for the Titans

who does all the little things. But I think they have a guy in Hassan Haskins like that. So for me, I need somebody who I know is going to play consistently with Derrick Henry or eventually replace Derrick Henry. So overall, when I look at, once again, just to recap my favorite guys in the draft at running back, if the Titans want to go get a running back early,

Jameer Gibbs, my number one. I got to tell you guys the truth. I like Jameer Gibbs better than Bajon Robinson. I know. I know. I sound crazy. I get it. But I like Jameer Gibbs better than Bajon Robinson. I do. In my personal rankings, Jameer Gibbs better than Bijan Robinson. I do. In my personal rankings, Jameer Gibbs is number one. Outside of Gibbs, I really

like Zach Charbonnet and Devon A-Chain as compliment options, but for me, Jameer Gibbs, Devon A-Chain, those are my number one guys. I love those dudes. So, that's how I feel about the running back position in the draft

and some guys who make sense for the Titans. We're going to push this thing forward. In the next couple of days, we're going to hit wide receiver. We're going to hit tight end. We'll probably get into offensive line a little bit, probably offensive tackle at the end of the week, get an interior offensive line. We'll have a mock draft Monday, next Monday.

It is draft season, baby, and there is no better place to be than the Locked on Titans podcast. That's going to do it for me today, folks. As always, I am your host, Tyler Rowland, and this was Locked on tight.