SEC Football history: 50 best players of all time

18. Best SEC football players of all time: Derrick Henry, Alabama football

During his time at Yulee (FL) High School, Derrick Henry put the entire country on notice, breaking the all-time record in high school history for rushing yards. In total, Henry rushed for over 12,000 yards during his high school days, including over 4,000 as a senior, a season where he scored 55 touchdowns.

So when he got to Alabama, there was a lot of reason to be excited, and he quickly showed the kind of back he could be for the Crimson Tide. He rushed for nearly 400 yards in a part-time role as a true freshman and teamed with T.J. Yeldon as a sophomore to give Alabama a solid one-two punch in the backfield. That season, Henry finished with over 1,000 yards and 11 touchdowns despite sharing the load.

As a junior, Henry would become a legend at Alabama, putting together the most prolific season of any running back in SEC Football history. Henry set the SEC record for rushing yards in a season with 2,219 and broke Tim Tebow’s conference record by scoring 28 touchdowns. All of this led to him winning the Heisman Trophy over Christian McCaffrey and Deshaun Watson, becoming the second Alabama player to take home the prestigious award.

For the season, Henry not only took home the Heisman, but also the Doak Walker, Walter Camp, and Maxwell Awards. A punishing running back, he led the Crimson Tide to a national title, two SEC titles, and would eventually be a second-round pick of the Tennessee Titans. In 2020, he rushed for over 2,000 yards.