KJ Henry NFL Draft Scouting Report

EDGE, Clemson Tigers

Clemson EDGE KJ Henry is a sturdy edge defender who projects to the NFL level as a rotational player and a potential starter in the right situation. There are a number of winning skills that Henry has drawn upon throughout the course of his career that should provide him a direct translation to the pro game after competing at the highest level with the Tigers’ program. 

Originally a 5-star recruit, Henry was graded as a top-10 recruit in the nation before committing to play for the Tigers. He offered an expansive basketball background in high school as well while playing at West Forsyth High School in South Carolina before ultimately committing to the Tigers. Henry collected offers from a who’s who of college football, including Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, Notre Dame, Tennessee, and others. Henry zoomed through his education at Clemson, earning his Master’s degree in athletic leadership in four years.

On the field, Henry checks a lot of boxes to be a prototypical 4-3 end or power rush linebacker at the NFL level. He possesses ideal length, effective hand usage, and an understanding of how to stack blocks—leaving him as a viable run defender and a capable player in early downs. Henry appears to be a high-floor prospect who will make a team very happy in a rotational role at the next level, similar to what he’s fulfilled for Clemson amid a myriad of defensive linemen. He showcases heavy hands, a strong motor, and a firm sense of pushing through softer angles to collapse the pocket, making him a player who projects well to fronts who look to contain rush and outside contain. He isn’t a dynamic threat off the edge on passing downs but he has good diagnosis skills and has been a long-entrenched player for the Tigers as a 50-60% snap player who wins at the point of attack. 

I like him best in a gap control system at the next level. That will admittedly cut down on his impact plays and opportunities as a pass rusher and that is almost certainly going to bite him when it comes to draft value and prioritization—especially in a loaded draft class in the EDGE group. One would imagine a well-tenured defensive lineman would have built out a more expansive menu of rush counters by now if he was going to, although you do get some intermittent flashes of first-contact wins. 

Expectations for Henry are essential to putting him in the best position to succeed in the NFL. His most likely path to NFL success is rooted in playing on the early downs and ensuring you have additional threats in the front if he’s going to stay on the field in obvious passing situations to offer him one-on-one opportunities. In such an environment, he’s a potential starter but he’s more likely a rotational defender in the NFL for a majority of teams. 

Top Reasons to Buy In:

• Cerebral player with good recognition skills

• Prototypical length to play on the edge
• Block deconstruction skills to play the run

Top Reasons For Concern:

• Lacks ideal twitch or bend to win with speed off the edge

• Has lived in a high-frequency of rotational snaps throughout his career

• Third-down value is marginal without significant development

Size (NFL Combine):

Height: 6′ 4”

Weight: 251 lbs

Arm Length: 33”

Hand Size: 10”

Athletic Testing (NFL Combine):

40-yard Dash: 4.53s

Vertical Jump: 31.5”

Broad Jump: 9′ 4”

Short-Shuttle: TBD

Three-Cone: TBD

Bench Reps: TBD 

Ideal Role: Early-down rush linebacker

Scheme Fit: Odd front, rotational-heavy defense

Prospect Comparison: Julian Okwara (2020 NFL Draft)

TDN Consensus Grade: 75.00/100 (Third-Round Value)

• Crabbs Grade: 75.00/100
  

Written By: Kyle Crabbs

Exposures: Wake Forest (2022), Florida State (2022), Notre Dame (2022), South Carolina (2022), North Carolina (2022)

KJ Henry NFL Draft Scouting Report. Add him to your big board here.