*cracks knuckles*
First NFL Draft article of 2018, baby! Let’s get to it. A couple of weeks ago, I went over the team needs of the Tennessee Titans heading into this offseason. Pretty high on that list is the need for a running back that isn’t Derrick Henry. Someone that’s more of a complement to #22 than a stand-in. Since I doubt they’re going to go out and get a Dion Lewis or (busted ass) Doug Martin in free agency, I think that need will likely be addressed in the draft.
Now, I should say – there’s absolutely nothing wrong with Henry. He’s going to get a chance to start in 2018, as many of us imagine the Titans will move on from DeMarco Murray. But, as evidenced by the Super Bowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles, it takes a village.
Hell, how loaded were the Eagles at running back? Jay Ajayi, LeGarrette Blount, Corey Clement, Wendell Smallwood, Darren Sproles…having such a stable of guys paid great dividends for them. But the key is creating a dynamic offense through diverse skill sets.
That’s one of the layers the Titans offense was lacking last year. Henry and Murray were basically the same back. So, the Titans should be looking for a new acquisition to come in and play a different style.
Enter former Tennessee Volunteers running back John Kelly.
The guy runs like a force of nature. He’s elusive, but not necessarily in the sense that he’s quick and shifty…more so that he’s just incredibly difficult to bring down. When he gets the ball in his hands, he runs with merciless passion.
His lateral movement skills mark where he differs most from Henry. Where Henry (and Murray for that matter) is a strong North-South runner, things didn’t work out so well for him when he tried to run East-West. Kelly is the type of back who can effectively run sideline to sideline.
He’s also a great pass catcher, which is something the Titans didn’t have out of the backfield last season. He works well on screens, and could serve as a valuable safety net for Marcus Mariota.
Kelly should also come at a reasonable value. Most “experts” have the former Vol pegged as a 3rd-5th round pick. But, the Titans are fortunate enough to not so desperately need a starter that they overspend. This seems like a great fit and a great opportunity.
Now, of course, I’m sitting here gushing about this prospect, but there are some concerns. Some are worried about his size (5’9″ 205 pounds), he smoked weed and got in trouble for it (*gasp*), and he really wasn’t all that productive at Tennessee. His best season was 2017, when he tallied 778 yards and nine touchdowns.
But, overall, I think a guy like this fits exactly what the Titans need in a running back heading into 2018. Only a couple more months before we find out where they wind up.
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD and #BeBetter. “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Alabama Crimson Tide football, the WWE, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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