Stripe Hype Player Preview: Dan Herron

 

 

The Bengals were in the market for a RB after OC Jay Gruden stated he wanted to put a stronger emphasis on the running game and utilize a 3-RB committee. Benjarvus Green-Ellis is a between-the-tackles pounder, and Bernard Scott is in the last year of his rookie deal. Still, the Bengals sat in the 6th round with no RBs drafted.

Enter Daniel “Boom” Herron.

The Bengals didn’t have to go far to find Herron, as he played just a few hours away in Columbus, Ohio for the Ohio Sate Buckeyes. He entered his senior year as one of the top RBs in college football and a likely 2nd or 3rd round draft pick.

But then came the infamous Ohio State Tattoo Scandal.

Herron would miss the first five games of his senior season due to the scandal, but still finished strong for the Buckeyes, rushing 135 times for 678 yards and 3 TDs in his last seven games. This, after rushing for 1,155 yards and 16 rushing TDs as a junior.

He finished his career as a Buckeye as the school’s tenth-leading rusher, amassing 2,869 yards and 32 touchdowns on 592 carries, while chipping in 309 yards and another score on 44 receptions.

 

Prior to the draft, NFL Mocks broke down Herron’s game into pros and cons:

Pros:

Runs with deceptive power

Good locker room leadership
Knack for finding the end zone
Durable (rarely misses playing time, plays through minor injuries)

Pretty good hands

Better pass blocker than most college running backs

Fights for yardage

 

Cons:
Small for a power RB
Lacks NFL playmaker speed
NCAA violations may be a concern for some teams
Lacks vision at times

Player Comparison: Tim Hightower