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With training camp fast approaching, we thought it would be a good time to showcase some of the UDFA’s that are attempting to make this roster.
Not much has changed for the Tennessee Titans at the running back position. Derrick Henry is the best back in football and returns for what’s sure to be another massive season for him in 2021. Behind him, the team will hope to get more out of sophomore player Darrynton Evans, who was selected in the third round of the 2020 draft. Evans spent the majority of last season nursing an injury.
Behind Henry and Evans, you have Jeremy McNichols who the coaching staff is very familiar with. The Titans also signed Brian Hill, a NFL veteran in free agency. Hill has totaled more than 1,200 total yards in the NFL, so it would be silly for us to write him off. He absolutely could make this team.
The Titans didn’t draft a running back, but they signed an undrafted free agent in former Iowa running back Mekhi Sargent. Sargent comes in at 5-foot-8 and 208 pounds. He’s built low to the ground and runs the ball with excellent contact balance.
Sargent impressed at the Hula Bowl, where the Titans observed his skill set in person.
Mekhi Sargent last night really popped with some explosive ability while on his way to work he Team Aina Offensive MVP of the game.
— John Vogel (@DraftVogel) February 1, 2021
This big ole gash was nice. Loved the way he used the ref as a screen. #HulaBowl pic.twitter.com/CbJJlqUVwm
Sargent played in eight games in 2021 and rushed for 432 yards on 76 carries, good for an average of an impressive 5.7 yards per carry while adding seven touchdowns. He played in 34 career games at Iowa and gained a total of 1,801 yards on the ground. Experience is not a problem here.
During draft prep, Sargent ran the 40-yard dash in 4.62 seconds. He posted a 33.5-inch vertical and a 9’5” broad jump. He ran the three-cone in 7.08 seconds.
Sargent isn’t an elite athlete, but he has some impressive production, experience and pedigree under his belt. He was a team player at Iowa. The Hawkeyes coaching staff raves about him, his attitude and approach to the game.
Things are really bloated at the running back position, so making the roster is going to be tough sledding for Sargent. I’m still excited to watch him at training camp in a few weeks.