Fansided

25 best NFL running backs of the 21st century

By Brad Weiss

Charger RB LaDainian Tomlinson runs down the field as the San Diego Chargers defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 20 - 9 on December 17, 2006 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, CA. (Photo by Tracy Frankel/Getty Images)
Charger RB LaDainian Tomlinson runs down the field as the San Diego Chargers defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 20 - 9 on December 17, 2006 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, CA. (Photo by Tracy Frankel/Getty Images) /
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Derrick Henry, Tennesse Titans
Derrick Henry, Tennessee Titans. (Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports) /

25 best NFL running backs of the 21st century

Derrick Henry. 14. player. 35. . .

To watch Derrick Henry run the football during his time at Alabama was like watching a freight train coming down the line. After eye-popping statistics in high school, Henry worked his way into the starting lineup for Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide, capping off his collegiate career with a season for the ages, rushing for 2,219 yards and 28 touchdowns while winning the Heisman Trophy.

Incredibly, due to his size, Henry would fall to the middle of the second round, where the Tennessee Titans would be waiting with the No. 45 overall pick. Playing with the Titans his entire career, he sat behind DeMarco Murray during his first two seasons, Henry notched his first 1,000-yard campaign in 2018, but that was small potatoes compared to what he has done the last few years.

In 2019 and 2020, Henry has led the NFL in rushing yards and likely would have for a third time in 2021 had he not gotten injured in the middle of the season. Through his first eight games of the 2021 campaign, Henry had already rushed for nearly 1,000 yards, this after rushing for over 3,500 yards in the two years prior.

The 2020 season was an all-time year for King Henry, as he finished with over 2,000 yards rushing and won the AP Offensive Player of the Year honor. This is a man who looks like he is playing against boys when he is on the field, and he should have a ton of yards left in him.

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