The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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AUGUST 2021 THE WOLVERINE 57 COMMITMENT PROFILE K evonte Henry didn't want his re- cruitment to go past the summer. After making a couple of visits fol- lowing the end of the dead period, Henry sat down and weighed his options. The three-star defensive end from Lawndale (Calif.) Leuzinger carefully analyzed everything and ultimately felt like the biggest factor was comfort. And no school made him feel more comfortable than Michigan, which earned his commitment on June 25. "It was just a great feeling," Henry said. "I felt comfortable. The coaches always told me what was going on. When it came time to make a deci- sion, it was about where I felt the most comfortable, and my first thought was Michigan." Henry committed to Michigan over offers from Arizona, Arizona State, Oregon, USC, Utah, Washing- ton State and others. Both the Michigan staff and the players on the roster made Henry feel like part of the family. "What stood out to me about Mich- igan was the players and the bond they all had on defense," Henry said. "I also really liked the coaches. I ap- preciated how they came straight to me as a man and didn't beat around the bush." Henry sided with Michigan just three weeks after making an unoffi- cial visit. It was his first time in Ann Arbor, and he fell in love with the city, campus and facilities. "It felt like an official," Henry said. "I was out there for three days. It took me a whole day to figure out where everything was. After that, I was with the players most of the time. "The facilities are great. The coaches are great. The vibe is great. I've been home for too long. I'm ex- cited to be out there." New Michigan director of player personnel Courtney Morgan led the way in the recruitment of Henry. Morgan, a Los Angeles native, first identified Henry at Fresno State and helped Michigan make a strong push for him shortly after arriving in Ann Arbor. "I first met Courtney at Fresno State," Henry said. "That's how I got in contact with Michigan. Once he got there, he hit me up and told me about the program and the environ- ment. A month later, he offered me. "He's had a big impact on me. I feel like I'm the closest to him out of everybody." Henry added that new defensive analyst Ryan Osborn, who is the pri- mary recruiter for edge rushers, also played a key role in his recruitment. "Coach Oz is really cool and nice," Henry said. "He came off as more of a friend. He always asked me how my life was. But it wasn't all fake. He came to me in a genuine way and re- ally cared about what was going on. Coach Oz is like a friend. I hope to get closer to him like family." Michigan recruited Henry as a pure edge rusher in its new 3-4 de- fensive scheme. Henry believes he's a great fit for it since he specializes in pinning his ears back and getting after the quarterback. But he also understands that he's still a bit raw and needs to add more strength. "I like the scheme," Henry said. "Really, all they want me to do is pass rush. All I have to do is learn a few techniques and get bigger. That's really my main goal. The weight room at Michigan is great. They train you like the NFL Combine." Henry is still in the process of scheduling his official visit but is planning on taking it at some point this fall. Rivals.com rates the 6-4, 208-pound three-star prospect as the No. 51 re- cruit in California. — EJ Holland California Edge Rusher Kevonte Henry Finds Comfort Level At U-M Henry, the No. 51 player in California per Rivals, picked Michigan over offers from Arizona, Arizona State, Oregon, USC, Utah, Washington State and others. PHOTO BY EJ HOLLAND PLAYER EVALUATION Strengths: Kevonte Henry is a pure edge rusher that fits exactly what the Wol- verines want out of the position in their new defensive scheme. He plays with violence and reckless abandon when coming off the edge. He has no issue using his superior speed and athleticism to get around offensive tackles. He also starts at running back for his high school team, which helps with his pursuit angles. He is at his best when he can stand up and simply get after the opposing quarterback. Areas Of Improvement: Henry is still an extremely raw prospect. While he's fast, athletic and violent, he has yet to be coached up and struggles with tech- nique and discipline, especially when playing the run. He is very skinny and needs to add a lot of weight to his frame. Along with that, he currently lacks the necessary power and strength, and must dedicate himself to the weight room at Michigan. He has a high ceiling, but that also comes with a very low floor. Michigan Player Comparison: With Michigan transitioning to a new scheme, there aren't many players on the roster that closely resemble Henry, hence the Wolverines are recruiting quite a few edge rushers this cycle. However, he shares similar traits with freshman defensive end Jaylen Harrell. A pass rushing specialist and sack artist, Harrell was a bigger version of Henry coming out of high school. — EJ Holland Henry "When it came time to make a decision, it was about where I felt the most com- fortable, and my first thought was Michigan."