Falcons may strengthen backfield

New coach Arthur Smith had Derrick Henry to power the Titans’ offense in Tennessee, so he might look for someone similar.

Here’s the second story of our position-by-position NFL draft series. Today, we’ll look at the top running backs.

The Falcons elected not to re-sign Todd Gurley, who entered last season as their No. 1 running back, nor his top backup, Brian Hill, during this offseason. Ito Smith finished the season as the team’s top running back, and the Falcons signed the hard-charging Mike Davis in free agency.

New coach Arthur Smith is coming over from Tennessee, where he had Derrick Henry to power the Titans’ offense, and Smith is expected to add to the backfield in this draft.

The Falcons, who pick fourth overall in the first round and 35th in the second round, are not in prime position to select one of the top two running backs in the draft: Alabama’s Najee Harris or Clemson’s Travis Etienne. The Falcons will have a shot at some quality running backs in the middle rounds: Memphis’ Kenneth Gainwell, Oklahoma’s Rhamondre Stevenson and Ohio State’s Trey Sermon, who played at Sprayberry High.

The Falcons would likely have to trade back into the first round to get Harris.

“I think if you check the record, every running back that we’ve had here since we came here has been a third round or better in terms of the draft,” Alabama coach Nick Saban said. Saban doesn’t like to compare his former players, but he spoke to the merits of Harris’ game. “Najee is, I think, an exceptional player,” Saban said. “He’s got great size. He’s a really good receiver. He’s instinctive as a runner. He’s tough. He’s hard to tackle. He kind of gets better as the game goes on.”

Harris is listed at 6-foot-2 and 230 pounds. The Titans’ Henry, another former Alabama player, is 6-3, 247 and became just the eighth player to rush for more than 2,000 yards last season in Smith’s offense. Henry was selected in the second round (45th overall) by the Titans in 2016.

Harris finished his career as Alabama’s all-time leader for total touchdowns with 57 (46 rushing, 11 receiving). He’s the school’s career leader for rushing scores with 46, which surpassed the previous record of 42 held by Mark Ingram and Henry. Harris’ 3,843 career rushing yards tops Alabama’s all-time list.

“So, he’s got some really, really positive attributes,” Saban said. “He’s always been a good team guy here. I love the guy and think he’ll be a really, really good player at the next level.”

Etienne is a dynamic runner and receiver. He rushed for 914 yards and 12 touchdowns last season and caught 48 passes for 588 yards and two receiving touchdowns. Over his career at Clemson, he rushed for 4,952 yards, had 1,155 yards receiving and scored 78 touchdowns.

“I’m one of the best skill guys in the draft,” Etienne said. “I am able to do it all. I feel like I add that component to teams in that next tier. I feel like me being in the game, I just possess a lot of things that are God-given that most guys don’t possess.”

Etienne is especially proud of his development as a pass-catcher. “Coming here out of high school from a Wing T, I probably had 16 targets my whole career in high school,” Etienne said. “Coming here, it was really different. Had to really change my whole game.”

Etienne is fine with being compared to Minnesota’s Dalvin Cook and New Orleans’ Alvin Kamara. “I feel like both of those guys are very dynamic guys,” Etienne said. “They’re able to change the game, running the ball and catching the ball.”

North Carolina’s Javonte Williams is another intriguing running back prospect.

“I loved him from the first tape that I popped on,” NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah said. “I didn’t hear much about him during the fall. They ran the heck out of him, him and Michael Carter, their other running back at North Carolina.”

Williams rushed 157 times for 1,190 yards and 19 touchdowns last season. He caught 25 passes for 305 yards and three TDS. “This kid kind of gives you a little bit of everything,” Jeremiah said. “He’s 220 pounds, but he has big-time burst and he’s got really good vision. … He’s going to continue to go up because everything I keep digging on and finding out from the school and finding out from guys that have been around him and coached him and played with him, is the kid’s wiring is off the charts.”

CHRIS URSO/TAMPA BAY TIMES Travis Etienne rushed for 914 yards and 12 touchdowns last season and caught 48 passes for 588 yards and two receiving touchdowns. Over his career at Clemson, he rushed for 4,952 yards, had 1,155 yards receiving and scored 78 touchdowns.