Redshirt junior defensive tackle Willie Henry declared for the NFL Draft on Wednesday night. The 6’3″, 311-pounder started 9 games at defensive tackle this past season. He tallied 34 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, and 2 pass breakups. He flirted with the idea of leaving after his redshirt sophomore season, but decided to return for another year.
When Henry’s 2012 recruiting class wrapped, I pegged him as the most underrated recruit (LINK). After redshirting as a true freshman, he was a part-time starter for the next three years, totaling 86 tackles, 18.5 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, 1 interception (for a 7-yard TD against Utah in 2014), and 2 pass breakups.
Henry joins a long list of Big Ten players entering the draft early (LINK), including six defensive tackles from the conference alone. On the one hand, it seems like a mistake for Henry to leave, because he is not projected as a first- or second-round pick. On the other hand, I don’t know that returning next year would improve his draft stock. He has been inconsistent in his college career, but he has shown what he can do. This year he showed that he can rush the passer. Last year he showed some surprising athleticism with the pick-six. He has blasted offensive guards backward. He has chased running backs to the sideline. Some NFL team will be getting a very athletic 3-tech tackle who can be near dominant when he’s motivated.
As for Michigan, the Wolverines are down to 89 scholarships accounted for in 2016 (LINK). At least four more players must depart from the team or recruiting class to make room for the incoming freshmen. The Wolverines should be fine on the defensive line because of quality depth. Henry would have been a starter again next year, so somebody must step up into his spot. With fifth year senior Ryan Glasgow and redshirt sophomore Bryan Mone both coming back from injury next season, they should be able to hold down the nose tackle spot. That may allow redshirt junior Maurice Hurst, Jr. to slide over from nose tackle to 3-tech, which would probably be more suitable to his 282 lb. frame. Michigan can also use fifth year senior Chris Wormley, fifth year senior Matt Godin (if he returns), or perhaps an incoming freshman to start in Henry’s place.
Henry follows tight end/wide receiver Devin Funchess as an early NFL Draft entrant. Funchess, who left after his junior year, was selected by the Carolina Panthers in the 2nd round (#41 overall) of the 2015 Draft. Prior to Funchess, the last player to leave Michigan early for the NFL was cornerback Donovan Warren, who was undrafted in 2010.
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I can think of of a potential freshman that would likely provide a serviceable option for replacing Willie Henry.
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Hmmm…Victor Viramontes?
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If you’re an NFL GM looking at Henry, what’s your thinking?
Do you consider bringing him in for his *known* attributes, or do you bring him in because he has *potential* to grow beyond what he showed in college?
Henry doesn’t strike me as a dominant defensive lineman type, ala JJ Watt or Vince Wilfork in his prime. But he may be a serviceable body in the middle. Is that maybe the thinking?
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I don’t think Henry is consistent enough with his effort and technique to be dominant like Watt, and he’s not powerful enough to be a Vince Wilfork. I think he’s a very nice 3-tech tackle prospect, though. Your question seems to be more about his draft ranking than whether you draft him at all. In other words, do you pick him in the 2nd round because of his potential, or do you take him in the 5th round because of what he’s shown? I think you give him a bump because of his potential. I would probably expect him to go in the 3rd or 4th round, depending on how he does at the Combine and/or pro day. If he runs a 4.7 at 295 lbs., then hooray for him. If he shows up at 330 lbs. and runs a 5.8, then there’s an issue.
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Understand … and yes, though I did not specifically call out the draft ranking element of this, that is a proxy for his perceived value in the NFL.
The Combine is another proxy … but for his dedication. As you say, if he shows up looking for all the world like he’s not taking it seriously, then it’s another data point NFL GMs use to determine how much investment they wish to make.
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It was fun reading the recap of Henry’s recruiting class. A good reminder that this is an inexact science. Some players didn’t develop, some got hurt, some didn’t add good weight, and some really surprised us in a good way…
Like that walk-on Ryan Glasgow, who you (and me, and probably every other Power 5 coach in the US) didn’t think would ever crack the two deep.
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I think Ryan Glasgow’s development as a player has been off the charts. Truthfully, I can’t think of a player who has improved more from year to year. It’s not just that he surprised a lot of people (including me) by making it onto the two-deep. He has continued to improve year after year, to the point where he might have been our second-best defensive player this year (behind Jourdan Lewis). Some guys plateau or see a dip from one year to the next, but that guy keeps raising his game.
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And his brother’s development has been very special, too. Who knew? A lot of fun to watch.
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Yeah everyone assumed that the biggest thing to happen to Michigan as a result of Tressel’s resignation was Kyle Kalis, but it was actually getting Graham Glasgow and then Ryan Glagow, and it’s not even close.
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Yeah, it’s not surprising when a walk-on does well, but it’s very surprising when one simply outplays a 5-star recruit. Some 5-stars are brought down by getting in trouble, getting injured, etc. In Kalis’s case, he’s just been outperformed by Glasgow.
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