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John Henderson
SELECTED BY JACKSONVILLE , ROUND 1, PICK 9, OVERALL PICK 9
DT | (6-7, 306, 5.0) | Tennessee
By Pro Football WeeklyNotes: High school football All-American and an all-state basketball player who was rated as the top big man in the state. Partial qualifier in 1998 who could practice but not play. Played in every game and started the last eight games, including the Fiesta Bowl, in '99, when he had 43 stops, five for loss, four sacks and two passes defensed. Southeastern Conference Defensive Player of the Year, Outland Trophy winner and All-American in 2000, when he had 71 tackles, nine tackles for loss on running plays, an SEC-best 12 sacks, two passes defensed, three fumble recoveries and four forced fumbles. Missed two games and was far less than 100 percent for almost the entire '01 season after suffering a very badly sprained ankle against Syracuse. Ended the year with 48-8 1/2-4 1/2 and was a first-team All-SEC pick and a finalist for the Outland Trophy.Positives: Good character, coachable and has good attention to detail. Great size and size potential with a very large wingspan. Is hard to throw over. Can use his hands and lock out with his arms. Is just developing and growing into his body and developing pass-rush moves to take advantage of his size and wingspan. Is learning how to play lower than he did with a better pad level. Can be dominating when he keeps his pads way down and plays with good leverage, but that is tough to do at Henderson's height. Henderson is rangy, can run and moves very well for a big man once he gets going. He can come off a block and even defeat the double-team when his pads are low and can be very disruptive inside. He also has the speed and motor to chase, and at times, he even can catch up to the wide play and the quarterback.Negatives: Has a hard time getting his pads down because he is so tall, has long legs and is a little stiff. Has also had back problems, which may compound the problem. Is not overly instinctive or natural and at times will not know where the ball is. Still needs to refine and improve his techniques and to learn how to use his great wingspan more to his advantage. He also is a much better player early in games and in games in which he shares time, which indicates he may not have the stamina to play every down without rotating. Is a little bit of a DLE-DT tweener who is more upright than scouts would like inside and not quick and sudden enough to be a top outside rusher.Summary: If his ankle and back check out, Henderson will be a first-round pick and could be an early one if he has great workouts. Is a little like former Alabama All-American and Colts first-round pick Jon Hand and has some similarities to former Vanderbilt star and Eagles DE Dennis Harrison.* Player biographies are provided by Pro Football Weekly.
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