Drake ready to take on top running back role
Now in third year, he’s ready to take on top running back role.
Kenyan Drake’s mental side has caught up to his physical repertoire, according to coach Adam Gase, and that’s a huge gain for the Dolphins.
Adam Gase always has envi
DAVIE — sioned Dolphins running back Kenyan Drake as a player who could be an overwhelming threat in his offense if he could get his act together. Now that he has, apparently it’s time for him to live up to that. Drake, in his third year, is taking
over as Miami’s primary running back with an eye on making his name as one of the most versatile and dangerous skill players in the NFL. Based on the progression Gase has seen, that’s a realistic aspiration.
“I think we just have a guy that’s really looking to bust out,” Gase said recently.
The Dolphins head coach never has spoken this confidently about Drake. He’s been far more measured in his words until now.
Why the change? Drake’s changed. He’s no longer an easily distracted rookie with a slipshod approach to practice. The mental side has caught
up to the ever-impressive physical repertoire, according to Gase, and that’s a huge gain for a Dolphins team that needs some fireworks offensively.
“I think he’s matured a lot, whether it be (with) the playbook or just him personally,” Gase said. “When you’re in this league, after you get through that first year, in the second year sometimes there’s a little bit of a feeling-out process. You’re trying to figure out who you are.
“You’re starting to get older and you really realize this is a job and it’s different than college. I see a different guy in the way he prepares (and) knowing the situation he’s coming into this year. It’s been a good process to watch his maturity level on and off the field.”
Drake spent most of his first year and a half stuck on the bench behind Jay Ajayi, then shifted into a shared backfield with Damien Williams after Ajayi was traded to the Eagles. That was shortlived because Williams suffered a season-ending shoulder injury, setting up Drake with a precious opportunity to finish the year as the man.
He seized his chance postAjayi and put together a promising second half of the season. He opened with 260 total yards and two touchdowns in four games in the part-time role with Williams, then erupted for a league-high 444 yards rushing, 150 yards receiving and two touchdowns as a solo act over the final five games.
The next phase is for Drake to become a more consistent runner, something Gase thinks will be aided by the arrival of 14th-year veteran Frank Gore, and to emerge in the passing game.
Running backs — not just here but everywhere — always talk about developing into pass-catchers, but it often doesn’t happen. Ajayi was all about it last offseason, then caught 14 balls in seven games. A dozen backs caught at least 50 passes last year, led by Le’Veon Bell at 85, and the Dolphins haven’t seen one produce like that since Ricky Williams’ 50 catches in 2003.
So, what determines whether all the talk about being a receiver materializes into anything meaningful?
“Well, I mean, you want to be able to catch the ball,” Gase said sarcastically. “That’s a good start for it.”
That is crucial, but pretty much any skill player who steps on the field is decent at catching a football that hits him in the hands.
“It depends,” Gase continued. “Some guys make a living just catching check downs and being able to get yards after the catch, some guys you’re able to flex out and get one-on-one matchups.
“I think we’ve got a guy that can do multiple things. You could put him in the slot if you wanted to. You can use him in empty, you can use him from the backfield. You just can create a lot of different matchups. He has a really good feel for a lot of different types of routes, which there’s a lot of value there, because now linebackers, when they cover him, they’re not really sure what he’s going to do. He’s not tied into one thing or two things.”