TreVeyon Henderson’s recruitment did not take a traditional path as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak and ensuing dead period.
The fourth-ranked running back on Rivals had previously intended on taking trips out to multiple schools during the spring before making his final decision. As a result of the NCAA-mandated dead period, however, Henderson was unable to utilize these visits and any of his five available officials.
One of the programs Henderson wanted to check out for an unofficial visit was Ohio State, which had made his top nine in March. Even though a trip to the school never transpired as a result of the pandemic, Henderson committed to the Buckeyes without ever needing to visit Columbus.
This demonstrated great confidence in Ryan Day’s program, the future they are building and the coaching staff he has developed solid relationships with. It was not even a reactionary decision because of the unexpected dead period; Henderson was all on board with the Buckeyes from start to finish and never visited any other schools.
Now, on Wednesday morning, Henderson was able to make things 100 percent official with Ohio State as he just faxed in his LOI to the school. Henderson is a part of arguably the top running back class in the 2021 class as fellow Rivals100 prospect Evan Pryor is joining him in Columbus.
The pair of recruits have not only signed early, but they’ll also be enrolled at Ohio State by this time next month.
Why Henderson Committed to Ohio State
"Everything about it," Henderson told BuckeyeGrove in March when asked why Ohio State was his choice. "It's a great football program. They offer a great education. There's great people there. I can accomplish everything I want at Ohio State. I can go on and on about what made me commit there."
Analyzing Henderson's Skill Set
Henderson is an electrifying playmaker who can beat you at multiple positions on the field. Below is part of my breakdown of his skill set back in the summer.
"As a running back, he does an excellent job of stopping his momentum, gathering himself and quickly accelerating to leave nearby defenders in the dust. He's already running fast as soon as the ball is in his possession, but Henderson can kick things into another gear and pick up his speed when he gets to the second level of a defense.
"You also have to appreciate the vision that the third-ranked RB on Rivals has as a ball carrier. Henderson is a disciplined player who follows his offensive linemen and knows exactly whether he needs to take advantage of the first open running lane he sees, or wait for more blocks to develop.
"When making cuts, it almost appears as if Henderson has eyes on the side of his helmet. He anticipates where each defender is using his peripheral vision and reacts immediately when his opposition is closing in, making him a difficult player to bring down because he's always one step ahead."
I do believe Pryor is more of a threat catching the ball and will be the one more likely to line up out wide and in the slot. Even so, Henderson is capable of hauling in passes out of the backfield and turning them into large gains.
My biggest issue with Henderson initially was that he seemed to be a little bit too thin for his position. He's added roughly 20 pounds during the offseason, however, and I think that will assist him greatly at the next level.
I really cannot find too many holes in his game, and Henderson is someone who, in my opinion, will be competing for starting reps from Day One.
Stay tuned to BuckeyeGrove.