Alabama running back Kenyan Drake (17) dives into the end zone for a touchdown during the second half of Alabama's College Football Playoff National Championship football game with Clemson, Monday, Jan. 11, 2016, at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. Vasha Hunt/vhunt@al.com
Miami rookie running back
Kenyan Drake said Thursday night would be "
a dream come true" for him. After missing the Dolphins' first three preseason games because of a hamstring injury, the former
Alabama standout is scheduled to play in Miami's preseason finale against the Tennessee Titans.
"It's important for me just to get on the field in general, see the speed of the game,"
Drake said. "Carries, special teams, no matter what the case is, I'm ready to play."
Drake hurt his hamstring at training camp on Aug. 5, and he didn't return to practice until Aug. 23. He said his hamstring isn't 100 percent yet.
"Hamstring injuries are very lingering,"
Drake said. "The training staff will tell me whether to go 90 (percent) or go as fast as I can. I'm a competitor, so when I go out there, it's instinct."
Drake joined the Dolphins in the third round of the NFL Draft in April. Miami coach Adam Gase sounds as though he planned to give Drake a full workout ahead of the Dolphins' regular-season opener on Sept. 11.
"With the minimal practice snaps we've really had, the little time he was out there, we were feeling good about his progress compared to where we were at in the spring,"
Gase said. "At least mentally, we were feeling light years better. But him not practicing as long as he has and he hasn't really been hit in a real game yet, this'll be important for him.
"Obviously, I'd love to see what he can do as far as routes go and what we can do with him in the passing game. But at the same time, he showed us in the run game that he's very effective, at least in the limited snaps that we saw him in practice. I think we'd like to see if we can get him going in a little bit of both."
