Camp countdown
Team hopes RB shows ability to handle the load
Can Kenyan Drake be a 1,000-yard rusher?
Editor’s note: With the start of Miami Dolphins’ training camp eight days away, the South Florida Sun Sentinel looks at some of the team’s top storylines on the eve of the 2018 season.
This is Kenyan Drake’s opportunity to prove he can be a leading man.
Ever since his days at the University of Alabama, where he played behind Heisman Trophy winner Derrick Henry, Drake has been a supporting cast member.
The talent has always been there because of his blend of impressive size, speed and hands, but for one reason or another he’s usually been typecast on football teams since high school.
He’s teased Dolphins fans since his rookie season with gamechanging plays, and last year he provided a sample of what could happen if he’s given a larger role after taking over Miami’s backfield the final six games of the 2017 season following the trade that sent Jay Ajayi to Philadelphia and a shoulder injury to Damien Williams. Drake accounted for 623 total yards and four touchdowns during that stretch.
That averages out to 104 yards per game, which would make Drake, a 2016 third-round pick, one of the NFL’s top weapons — a top-5 yardage producer— if he’s able to play all16 games, and manages to maintain his 4.8 yards per carry average from last season.
But there have been questions about Drake’s professionalism.
Miami’s coaches haven’t been shy about pointing out that Drake needed to mature, develop a better work ethic, show up on time and prepared, and needed to understand all that was required of him if he was to become a featured weapon.
That’s why Frank Gore, who has put together a Hall of Fame worthy career during his 14 seasons in the NFL, was added this offseason to show Drake the way and provide him a blueprint because talent alone can only take a player so far. Especially if that talent isn’t paired with professionalism, which Drake has vowed to show this season.
If Drake achieves his goal of proving he can be the Dolphins’ featured weapon, he’ll likely be handsomely rewarded because his rookie deal expires after the 2019 season.
Even though coach Adam Gase believes in splitting the workload at tailback, don’t be surprised if Drake gets every opportunity to do what Ajayi did in 2016 because the Dolphins need an offensive player they can build a game plan around, someone they can sell to the
fan base, and a player who could provide national appeal.
This is Drake’s opportunity to prove he’s capable, and deserves to be that player.
Training camp practice schedule: Thursday, July 26 (8:30 a.m.); Friday, July 27 (8:30 a.m.); Saturday, July 28 (8:30 a.m.); Sunday, July 29 (8:30 a.m.); Monday, July30(8:30 a.m.); Wednesday, Aug. 1 (8:30 a.m.); Thursday, Aug. 2 (8:30 a.m.); Friday, Aug. 3 (8:30 a.m.); Saturday, Aug. 4 (11 a.m. scrimmage at Hard Rock Stadium); Monday, Aug. 6 (8:30 a.m.); Tuesday, Aug. 7 (8 a.m.); Sunday, Aug. 12 (8:30 a.m.); Monday, Aug. 13 (8:30 a.m.); Tuesday, Aug. 14 (8:30 a.m.)
Don’t be surprised if Drake gets every opportunity to do what (Jay) Ajayi did in 2016 ...