STRENGTHS
Henry as the speed to make defensive coordinators have nightmares. He has good size and excellent hand/eye coordination to catch just about any accurate pass thrown to him. Henry will run receiver sweeps that will drive linebacker’s crazy, trying to get out front of him and stop him from turning the corner and gaining yardage in chunks. He has good run after the catch skills when he is in open space and gains a step on his opponent. Henry has the speed teams are looking for in an outside receiver and the quickness needed to be used as a move or slot receiver. He is a nightmare matchup for safeties and linebackers when used in the slot, and if he gets a step on any safety or linebacker when they are covering him, he will no doubt bring it to the house. Henry is an impact receiver, the type that doesn’t need to handle the ball a lot to make an impact play.
CONCERNS
Henry played mostly as a slot receiver so he will have to show in workouts that he can run routes on the outside and separate, and catch contested passes. I suspect because of his lack of bulk and the fact that he was not used on the outside very much that a physical corner will be able to re-direct him easily when he runs routes and, make him struggle to get off the line of scrimmage, nullifying his speed and impact. If Henry only proves that he is a slot receiver as I suspect, then that evaluation might affect his draft status.
BOTTOM LINE 2.06
Slot or no slot, Henry should be an impact receiver who doesn’t need to handle the ball more than five or six times a game to impact. Speed kills but, Henry will have to learn how to use that speed at the next level, to become more than just a speed receiver. He has to learn the whole route tree and the intricacies of running it, to get free. He has to become more physical and learn how to get off the line of scrimmage and into his routes quickly. Although he is quick, and his ability to separate against linebackers and safeties is without question, he will have to prove that he is quicker than most cornerbacks at the next level consistently. Marvin Harrison did it, but Ted Ginn could not. Harrison was the 19th pick of the 1996 NFL Draft and Ted, was the 9th pick of the 2007 NFL Draft. Marvin Harrison was a franchise receiver and Ted Ginn has gone from team to team, quarterback to quarterback trying to become more than just a third receiver or specialty receiver. So, until Henry proves that he is more than just slot or third, or specialty receiver I’m not going to fall for the banana in the tailpipe and think that he will play at the next level like a 1st round, receiver just because he has speed. Let’s be honest, he hasn’t played like that at the college level. That being said he sure has played like an impact receiver for sure. I can see a team selecting Henry in the 1st round but for me, I would what a round or two if I needed a Franchise receiver.
