KJ Henry 2023 NFL Draft Profile

2023 NFL Draft: KJ Henry Scouting Report

Athleticism defines KJ Henry’s up-field work as an Edge rusher in both attacking the passer and the rush. He pushed himself on and off the field during his five years at Clemson, playing in games all five years. His redshirt-freshman season saw him land 23 tackles with two sacks, while his second year (2020) saw him land 23 tackles with 3.5 sacks. During his final two seasons (2021 and 2022) he made 22 tackles and 4.5 sacks and 51 tackles and 3.5 sacks, respectively. Each of those seasons he had a forced and recovered fumble each. His jump in productivity in 2022 speaks to his work ethic off the field to improve himself as a defensive attacker.

KJ Henry needs to get stronger to become an every-down NFL edge rusher. However, in the time that he had at Clemson, he consistently produced and found his way into making plays. If KJ Henry finds his way into an NFL weight room and begins to develop technique to set the edge, he could be a diamond in the rough on day three of the NFL Draft.

Strengths

High-engine player capable of countering pass or rush

Finds his way upfield with smooth, drifting steps

Finds his way into the quarterback’s line of sight

Excellent burst off the edge

Saw more production with more playing time

Weaknesses

Needs to refine upper body movement to match leg rush

Hands and fighting technique must develop further

NFL offensive lineman might set him off his base

Needs to establish a stronger edge while attacking the offense

NFL Comparison: Calais Campbell

Projection: Fourth Round

Bottom Line on KJ Henry

Finding a player complete and dynamic as KJ Henry is rare on day three, especially someone with his acumen in identifying the edge of the offensive line. He gets up field, attacks the offence, and finds a way to disrupt the football. A 4-3 defensive scheme ought to plug in Henry during pre-season and find out how much he can improve while on his way to making an impact at the NFL level. In a 3-4 defensive, he might have too much temptation to stand up and misalign his pads, playing to his weakness and not his strength.

Henry is a long edge defender, giving him considerable leverage over offensive lineman. If a defensive scheme mismatches him on the outside, he has an immediate role as a third-down rusher, and a long-term role as a starter. The difference between Henry and other defenders in this class is ability to quickly move around offensive lineman. His utilises elongated steps and powerful arm-length that matches his attack strategies. He needs to consistently improve his upper-body strength and skills to succeed on every down in the NFL, as currently veteran offensive tackles will leverage him. However, if he can begin to improve in his rookie year, KJ Henry might be a consistent, high-end starter in the NFL.

Main Image: Vasha Hunt – USA TODAY Sports

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