Dan Herron, Senior, Running Back, Ohio State
Overview:
Dan “Boom” Herron will not be the strongest back in the 2012 NFL Draft, but he can carry the load and is mostly a between the tackles runner. However, he is pretty fast too and can run a 40 yard dash in the 4.45 range. His lack of physical dominance kept him under the radar, but eventually Herron turned into Ohio State’s go-to running back.
Back in 2008 Herron got some touches when Beanie Wells went down with an injury. He only carried the ball 89 times, but he started to gain his reputation as a touchdown vulture by punching six of those rushes into the end zone. In 2009 Herron split time with Brandon Saine and averaged less than four yards per carry. Still he tied Terrelle Pryor with a team high seven rushing touchdowns. It was assumed heading into 2010 that Herron would once again be splitting carries with Saine, but Herron emerged as OSU’s main rushing threat and ended the year averaging an impressive 5.2 yards per carry. He also rushed for 1,116 yards and 16 touchdowns.
Final Projection:
Herron is one of five players who, pending appeal, will be suspended for the first five games of the 2011 season. That could end up having a bigger impact on his draft status than most expect. While Herron is still a quick, strong and versatile back, he could very well lose many of his carries during his senior season if a young back steps up in his absence. If Herron comes back strong and ready to roll, he could build off that momentum and be one of the more dynamic running backs in his class.
See all NFL Draft Profiles and Rankings
