The running back of Miami’s Past, Lamar Miller, and the running back of the future, Kenyan Drake, seem to be very similar players. Because of this, Drake will have no trouble stepping in and making Dolphins’ fans forget all about their old running back, who left for the Houston Texans.

Like Miller, Kenyan Drake was the top performer in the 40 yard dash, with a time of 4.45 seconds at the combine. The two also posses similar size with Miller and Drake standing 5’11” and 6’1″, respectively, and both weighing in at around 210 pounds. With these similarities there are glaring differences. For example, Miller was able to hold down a feature back roll during his senior year at Miami, while Drake had been stuck in the shadow of Derrick Henry, despite his immense explosiveness. Another difference is Drake was the top performer at the combine in both the Broad Jump and in the 20 yard shuttle, while Miller had not participated in either.

View Drake’s 40 yard dash here.

With their combine stats, Drake and Miller really show their similarities in style of play. The two speedsters both averaged around 6 yards per carry throughout their college careers and proved to be dangerous from anywhere on the field. This is evident in Drake’s highlights from the University of Alabama.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQFDwrztLJk]

Throughout his career, Drake has proved to be an explosive back, yet he is untested in terms of carrying a full workload. Luckily, the Dolphins will not ask Drake to carry the team’s rushing attack. Alongside second year running back, Jay Ajayi, Drake will get his chance to shine as a runner and a pass catcher without having to carry an offense. This niche is exactly where Drake belongs as proven true throughout his Alabama career.

While he may not immediately be the 1,000 yard rusher that Lamar Miller was, it is important to remember Miller’s first few years and how he struggled to break into the star he eventually became. A similar path could be in the cards for Kenyan Drake. He may start as just a speed back, but he can develop into a star in this league. Perhaps even better than Alabama counterpart and Heisman Trophy winner, Derrick Henry.

Featured Image via sportingnews.com

Stats and Info via NFL.com