The Extra Point: Raiders Running Back Kenyan Drake Still All About Mismatches
Kenyan Drake can't be blamed for feeling a little deja vu with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Once again he's backing up a proven Alabama starting running back who can grind out yards. This time its Josh Jacobs instead of Derrick Henry.
Drake's also a lot more than just a relief option. A weapon in the passing game, he's a dangerous problem for defenses that won't want to put a linebacker on him in coverage.
Additionally, as every Crimson Tide fan well remembers from games like the 2015 season's national championship against Clemson, when Drake took a kick return 95 yards to put Alabama up 38-27 with just under eight minutes left, get him in the ball in space and anything can happen.
"(I’m) just trying to create mismatches,” Drake recently said during a Raiders' minicamp.
“When you have a back as myself, or really any of our backs, you line up out wide and you have a linebacker or safety that goes out there, it gives you obviously a cover indicator, and with that we just want to take advantage of the mismatches that we feel like we have in the backfield on defenders when they match up man-to-man with us.
"Obviously with anybody else on our offense, man-to-man, we feel like we should be able to win a good clip of that."
As Raider Maven noted, Drake has found success receiving during his NFL career. So far he has 169 receptions for 1,244 yards and six touchdowns.
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The Extra Point is a regular weekday feature on BamaCentral+, and often includes video and other elements from our FanNation parters. Other recent segments include:
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Steelers Had to Tell Najee Harris to Tone Things Down
Alvin Kamara Becoming A Dual-Sport Influencer
Derrick Henry Happy to Have Julio Jones as a Titans Teammate
Where Are They Now: Former Alabama Defensive Line Coach Chris Rumph
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