Clemson Football: KJ Henry’s star-studded ability shouldn’t be forgotten

Clemson football DE KJ Henry didn’t come in as a 5-star for no reason. Tiger fans shouldn’t forget about the talent the redshirt freshman possesses.

There are very few 5-stars across the country that redshirt their freshman season.

The vast majority come in with their eyes on playing right away and even those that don’t still contribute in a reserve role.

KJ Henry was one of the few that did choose to redshirt and it certainly served him well. Clemson football was pretty full at defensive end last season- with Clelin Ferrell and Austin Bryant returning as starters and a plethora of depth guys behind them- so the Tiger coaching staff was able to save a year of eligibility on Henry and get him in the weight room.

The result? He came back even better than before.

Henry entered the Clemson football program as a 5-star DE and was ranked the No. 3 DE in the nation. When watching his film, it’s easy to see why.

Henry has the perfect blend of athleticism, power, explosiveness and pursuit to be an elite defensive end at the collegiate level. When watching his film, there’s certainly potential with his athleticism that he develop into a nasty linebacker if the Tigers chose to go that way, but he is expected to play defensive end.

He put on some muscle during that redshirt season and is now ready to contribute in a big way. Henry will likely play at the same spot as Justin Foster, but there’s no reason to believe that he won’t push for playing time and make that starting position competitive.

Though it’s easy to get wrapped up in some of the incoming talent and looking at other positions, Clemson football fans shouldn’t forget about KJ Henry. He’s going to make a major impact and may very well be a breakout candidate for this upcoming season.