Derrick Henry ended his career in Tuscaloosa about as well as he could have hoped for, with a Heisman Trophy in one hand and a National Championship trophy in the other.
Now he and his teammate, defensive lineman A'Shawn Robinson, will enter the NFL Draft rather than return to Alabama for one final season, ESPN reported.
Henry and Robinson are both projected as two of the best prospects at their respective positions and will likely be taken in either the first or second round. Robinson appears to be a first-round lock, given he is one of the best defensive line prospects, whereas Henry's draft stock is less certain.
At six-foot-three and 242 pounds, Henry is abnormally large for a running back, but he has shown surprising athleticism for someone his size. Though NFL teams may be wary of his heavy usage in Alabama's offense this season, there is no questioning Henry's work ethic and character.
Alabama head coach Nick Saban has repeatedly praised his workhorse running back for both traits, even dubbing Henry the "MVP of the Tide's offseason program," as ESPN the Magazine put it.
Robinson was part of Alabama's deep, unrelenting front seven that terrorized opposing offensive lines. Alabama has its reputation as a factory for elite defensive prospects and Robinson fits the bill.
Now Saban must wait on the decisions of two other underclassmen - defensive lineman Jonathan Allen and tight end O.J. Howard. Citing unnamed sources, AL.com learned both were rated as second round selections.
