2015 NFL Draft: Houston Texans Recap, Analysis
By Randy Gurzi
Aug 30, 2014; Houston, TX, USA; LSU Tigers running back Kenny Hilliard (27) rushes for a touchdown during the fourth quarter against the Wisconsin Badgers at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Kenny Hilliard, Running Back, 6′ 226 Pounds
The Texans made their final selection and decided to return to the school where they got sixth round running back Alfred Blue from in the 2014 draft.
Hilliard is a powerful back who split carries at LSU and never ran the ball more than 90 times in a season, which he did in 2014.
How He Helps The Houston Texans
This was just the case of finding who they felt had the most upside this late in the draft. The lack of carries means Hilliard will have a lot of tread left on the tires, while his 5.2 yards per rush average in the tough SEC shows he has some upside.
He will compete most likely with Jonathan Grimes and recently signed Chris Polk for that final running back spot. He will have an uphill climb, but comes from a school that has produced a lot of running backs of late.
His high yards per carry could mean he was simply a good player stuck behind much better players. But, his low number of carries could also mean he will have a hard time taking a pounding at the next level.