Denver Broncos: What makes De’Angelo Henderson special

What makes Denver Broncos second-year running back De’Angelo Henderson such a special player? We re-visit some of his best traits and moments…

The Denver Broncos have a diamond in the rough in running back De’Angelo Henderson.

With Devontae Booker expected to enter training camp as the starting running back and Royce Freeman nipping at his heels, the focus has shifted off of the former sixth-rounder out of Coastal Carolina a bit.

It won’t take long for Henderson to rev up the old memory engine with the way he is capable of playing.

Henderson was sensational in preseason play for the Broncos in the 2017 preseason and inexplicably rode the bench all season.

It was an unfortunate decision by the Broncos’ coaching staff in a season full of them.

Henderson has special skills as a running back in a very unique package. What makes him such a special back?

Let’s start with Henderson’s 5-foot-7, 208-pound frame, which makes him nearly impossible to tackle on initial contact. Henderson’s build makes him difficult to square up, and his lower-body strength makes him tough to take down if defenders are able to get their hands on him.

Henderson’s sub-4.5 speed is also rare for a back of his build.

Most running backs who run in the 4.4 range at 5-foot-7 are not even close to 200 pounds. Henderson has unique burst and quickness for his size.

His greatest trait as a running back is undoubtedly lateral quickness. It’s what earned him the nickname ‘Hop’ in college.

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Henderson has the ability to accelerate very quickly, stop on a dime, and get back to full speed in the blink of an eye. His lateral quickness is another rare trait for his size, as a player with his type of trunk should not be able to move side to side so quickly.

Henderson’s frame, burst, quickness, and ability to catch passes out of the backfield make him a very intriguing candidate to eat up some touches this season for the Broncos. He can do it all.