K.J. Henry, EDGE Clemson: Offseason 2023 NFL Draft Profile

Henry was a five-star recruit from West Forsyth High School in Clemmons, N.C. in the class of 2018

The Clemson Tigers have a loaded defensive line with several future 2023 NFL Draft selections. Bryan Bresee and Myles Murphy dominate the headlines, but defensive end K.J. Henry will also make a name for himself this season. Don’t overlook Henry’s role on Clemson’s dominant defense.

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K.J. Henry, EDGE Clemson: 2023 NFL Draft Profile

Classification: Graduate (fifth year) defensive end from Winston-Salem, N.C.

Background: Henry was a five-star recruit from West Forsyth High School in Clemmons, N.C. in the class of 2018. He was the No. 14 recruit according to 247Sports, No. 26 for Rivals, and No. 8 for On3.com. ESPN ranked him 6th in the nation with a 92 grade out of 100. In high school, Henry was selected as a Second-Team All-American by USA Today. He also played in the Under Armour All-American Game. Henry scored 1,156 points in 115 career basketball games and produced 16 points and seven rebounds per game as a junior. He earned a degree in sports communication in December 2020 and added a master’s degree in athletic leadership in December 2021. Henry was born on Jan. 27, 1999.

2021 Production: 13 games, 21 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 23 pressures, 4 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery

2020 Production: 12 games, 23 tackles, 6 tackles for loss, 16 pressures, 3.5 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, 2 passes defensed

2019 Production: 15 games, 23 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 12 pressures, 2 sacks, 3 passes defensed

2018 Production: 4 games, 5 tackles, 2 tackles for loss (Redshirt Year)

Injuries & Off-Field: Exited 2020-21 Sugar Bowl with an injury, offseason surgery caused him to miss spring practices in 2021 (possibly on his left knee)

Awards: Three-Time ACC Honor Roll Selection (2019-21), 2021 All-ACC Academic Team, 2021 Clemson P.A.W. Journey P.A.T. Man of the Year Award Winner

Pros: Only one penalty committed in college, special teams experience on the punt return, field goal block, and field goal kick units, athleticism leads to some positive reps in zone coverage, good burst off the line, impressive linear speed and burst, quick and active feet, motor runs hot, gets his hands up for PBUs, rarely moved off the line of scrimmage in the running game, maintains gap integrity and keeps the running back contained, rushes from a two or three-point stance, manipulates linemen to soften angles to the QB, rips the tackle to win the outside shoulder, quick to redirect to the football, room on his frame to add weight, experimenting with one-armed pass rushing moves, posts wins as a speed rusher, will swipe the tackle’s hands before attacking the outside shoulder, works down the line to the football, keeps tackles out of his pads

Cons: Age, not a player you feel comfortable dropping into coverage frequently, lacks counters, tight end blocks are unusually effective against him, lacks high-end bend, pad level rises too high causing him to lose leverage, hands lack violence and pop, block shedding is underdeveloped, lacks developed go-to pass rushing moves, lean throughout his frame (looks more like a tall OLB than a DE), lacks the power to play as a bull rusher or shock tackles with power, rarely challenges inside rush lanes, shows some stiffness in his lower half when attempting to change directions, too often stalemated on plays, hand precision could improve

Overview: Henry is unofficially listed at 6'4", 255 lbs. He applied pressure on roughly 7.8% of his pass rush attempts in 2020 and 12% in 2021. Henry appears to have good arm length but doesn’t consistently use it to his advantage. He has a lean frame that lacks the strength to threaten most tackles with bull rushes. However, Henry’s anchor holds up surprisingly well against the run. There are some instances of him being sealed or moved off the line, but he generally holds his ground and maintains gap integrity. Clemson asks Henry to drop into coverage one or two dozen times each year. He has some positive reps in this role thanks to his athleticism. Similar to his teammate, Xavier Thomas, Henry is a terrific athlete but lacks development as a pass rusher. He doesn’t have many moves he can call on at any given moment. On most plays, Henry lacks a clearly defined pass rush plan, and he doesn’t have an arsenal of counters to revive his rush once his initial push dies. As a tall, lean player, Henry struggles to maintain leverage, and his pad level rises too high. He’s struggled against blocking tight ends in the past when he should easily overwhelm them. Henry has good length, but he’s stalemated too often. The former five-star recruit lacks high-end bend and appears to suffer from some stiffness in his lower half. Henry needs to use his length and hands more frequently, especially when trying to shed blocks. Henry displays impressive linear speed and burst. He has quick and active feet that allow for sudden changes in direction and feints as a pass rusher. Henry is always looking to swat passes. His motor runs hot in pursuit, and he possesses the speed and agility to work down the line to the football. Henry primarily wins as a speed rusher, but he’s working on some moves. The fifth-year defensive end is experimenting with some one-armed rushes, a grab and rip, and a one-hand swipe. The swipe should be highly effective considering it pairs well with Henry’s profile as a speed rusher

Overall, Henry projects as a rotational pass rusher at the next level in either a 4-3 or 3-4 scheme. He’s a fantastic athlete who understands how to maintain gap integrity and sustain his position against the run. He shows upside as a speed rusher off the edge but still needs to develop pass rush moves and counters.

Role & Scheme Fit: Defensive end in a 4-3 scheme or rush linebacker in a 3-4 scheme

Round Projection: Late Fourth to Late Fifth

Player Comparison: N/A

Submitted: 09-05-22