He’s a blur with the ball in his hand
In 2021, the Las Vegas Raiders made a big free-agent commitment to backup running back Kenyan Drake, giving him a two-year, $11 million deal.
It was considered a luxury addition by then Las Vegas leader Jon Gruden loved Drake. Gruden lauded Drake’s versatility and speed. And a recent tweet by NFL analyst Warren Sharp shows that Drake, indeed, is one of the NFL’s fastest players with the ball in his hands:
fastest ball carriers last five years:
1. Raheem Mostert – 22.73 MPH
2. Matt Breida – 22.30 MPH
3. Cordarrelle Patterson 22.23 MPH
4. Jonathan Taylor – 22.13 MPH
5. Kenyan Drake – 22.11 MPH
6. Marquez Valdes-Scantling – 22.09 MPH
7. Dalvin Cook – 22.07 MPH— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) July 10, 2022
A 22.11 m.p.h. rate, of course, is blazing fast. Unfortunately for Las Vegas, Drake’s first season as a Raider was cut short when he suffered a season-ending ankle injury in December. He ended with 254 rushing yards on 63 carries and he added 291 yards on 30 receptions.
The new Las Vegas staff loaded up on running backs this offseason, but surely it will find room for Drake’s speed in certain situations this season.
In other Raiders’ links:
- Game pre: CBS Sports has all the details of the Raiders’ game against the Jaguars on Thursday in the Hall of Fame game.
- Determined: Raiders’ guard Lester Cotton has had a long journey as he tries to win a starting job.
- All-time greats: Check out ESPN’s list of the greatest offensive players at each position.
- Offer: Forbes has reported the Raiders have an offer from a prospective minority owner.
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