Texas A&M isn’t exactly known for its defense, but there are a few players rising on my board via their strong first halves of the 2017 season. One of them is found right in the middle of the trenches, senior Zaycoven Henderson. A two year starter, Henderson started to jump off the screen in 2016 and his consistency has been brought to the next level this season. The fourth year senior can be equally attractive to teams that run a 4-3 or 3-4 scheme.
Henderson gets off the ball quickly with anger and aggression, showing a heavy handed punch that can stand a blocker up and win the initial control battle. He plays with a low center of gravity and with those tree trunk legs that he effectively plants into the ground, he can be a tough guy to move. He won’t be a guy that gets pushed around; at the very least he can occupy space and blockers in an effort to keep the linebackers clean. Henderson may not bring a lot to the table when it comes to pass rush moves and range, but his hustle and grit can make plays when opportunities are there. He needs to especially work on his hand placement because when he gets in to the NFL, he will no longer be up against boys that were in high school just a couple years ago. He won’t be nearly as physically dominant, thus his techniques will need to improve. His play-to-play impact may not be enough to warrant every down duty, thus he will likely be tagged someone that can backup a starting duo and be brought in on sure-running downs.
Henderson won’t be a high draft pick, however when you see kids like this with man strength and an aggressive style, a spot can be found on any defensive front for him to at least rotate in.