Joe Henderson first visited Rocky Top on May 17th and announced his commitment less than two weeks later. Despite soaring stock over the summer, he never seriously wavered on his pledge to play for the Vols.

“I first went down there, it felt different from every other school I went to. I just felt like home to me. When I got that feeling, my parents felt that way, and I went with my heart,” Henderson said.

Unlike Barnett and Hendrix, he’s not likely to develop into a tackle and needs to add weight/strength to be an effective, every down defensive end in the SEC. That said, he has the speed to compete for situational pass rushing snaps early in his career (think Corey Vereen last year).

The Basics: Rated as a 4-star prospect by Rivals and 247Sports and a 3-star prospect by Scout and ESPN, Henderson is a 6-4, 225 pound defensive end from Cleveland, Ohio (Shaker Heights). Henderson’s stock rose throughout the summer as he turned in several exemplary performances at various camps—especially after being name defensive line MVP at the NFTC in Columbus, Ohio. He is ranked as the No. 205 player in the nation according to 247Sports Composite. On the field, he recorded an impressive 14.5 sacks last season. Henderson chose the Vols over Nebraska, Ole Miss, Louisville, Michigan State, Arkansas, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and others.

Scouting Reports: Vol defensive coordinator John Jancek likes quick, lean ends who can get to the passer quickly and Henderson fits that build. Speed is where he excels and he’s definitely one of the top speed rushers in this class. Conversely, he needs to add bulk to be a consistent contributor at the college level but he has the frame to do so. He runs a 4.5 40-yard dash and could play a blend of end and linebacker depending on how he develops physically.

“A prospect with solid height and a lean, wiry build. Looks to carry a little more size than his listed weight might suggest, but he still needs to work to add more good size to his frame. Shows flashes of very good first-step quickness…Henderson could see a move to outside linebacker and potentially his strengths could allow him to fit well in more of a hybrid role. Needs to continue to fill out and has some limitations at this stage, but he has some good tools as well to develop. With some work could contribute well as a situational pass rusher earlier in his career and with in the right fit has the potential to grow into a more well-rounded and productive player a little down the road.”—ESPN.com

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