Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1532761
M A R C H 2 0 2 5 3 7 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / P L A Y E R B I O S / / / / / / / W hen Penn State picked up a com- mitment from tight end Matt Henderson last May, it was the culmi- nation of a whirlwind recruitment. A native of Powhatan, Va., Hender- son had earned his offer from the Nit- tany Lions only two weeks earlier, but he decided quickly that PSU was the school for him. Having visited in Octo- ber 2023 and again in January 2024, the 6-foot-5, 215-pound prospect knew he didn't want to wait forever to decide. He picked Penn State over Michigan State and went on to have a stellar final prep season that helped him rise into the On300. "Penn State has always been one of my dream schools as a kid. My parents both grew up in Pennsylvania, so in a way, I have a connection up north," Henderson said. "Penn State always has great teams and fantastic players. I think they can help develop me to be- come the best player I can be." Henderson finished his junior season at Powhatan High with 74 catches for 1,113 yards and 14 touchdowns, but he didn't receive his four-star rating from On3's scouts until after his commitment to the Nittany Lions. He went on to catch 48 passes for 724 yards and 8 touchdowns as a senior. On3 now lists him at No. 241 overall and as the No. 14 tight end nationally. Tight ends coach Ty Howle and head coach James Franklin both played key roles in Henderson's recruitment. "Coach Howle and Coach Franklin have been amazing through the process and extremely transparent. I can't thank them enough for their honesty and belief in me," Henderson said. "They were different in the fact that they had expectations for me to reach, such as weight and blocking techniques. That was very helpful. Once I worked toward them and ultimately performed well enough, they gave me an offer. "I also believe that Coach Howle and Coach Franklin really found more in me than just a football player. They were intrigued by my family and my academ- ics, which was really amazing to hear. The culture is extremely strong, and everyone seems to care about the best interests of each and every player." Penn State is deep at the tight end po- sition, making it likely that Henderson will redshirt in Year 1. Set to arrive in the coming months, he is eager to play whatever role the coaching staff has in store for him, and also to get his aca- demic career off to a strong start. "At some point, football does come to an end," Henderson said. "Playing at the highest level is the goal, but if that doesn't pan out, the academic piece is much more important. Penn State is a great fit on that end as well." — Greg Pickel Two weeks after receiving a scholarship offer from PSU, Henderson chose the Nittany Lions over Michigan State. PHOTO BY RYAN SNYDER MATT HENDERSON Virginia tight end sees Penn State helping him reach full potential TE | 6-5 | 215 Powhatan High Powhatan, Va. Rankings Stars Nat. Pos. State On3 Industry ★★★★ 298 17 7 On3 ★★★★ 241 14 5 247Sports ★★★ — 24 15 ESPN ★★★★ — 17 14 Rivals ★★★★ — 22 7 Statistics • Recorded 48 catches for 724 yards and 8 touchdowns as a senior • Made 74 receptions for 1,113 yards and 14 touchdowns his junior year • Had 26 grabs for 489 yards and 8 scores as a sophomore • Scored more than 1,000 points in basketball Notable • Was a VHSL Class 4A first-team all-state se- lection on offense in 2024 after earning second- team honors in 2023 • Named Powhatan's MVP as a senior • Was a two-time team captain Recruitment • Committed to Penn State on May 8, 2024 • Recruited by tight ends coach Ty Howle • Picked Penn State over Michigan State • Officially visited on June 14, 2024 2025 Projection Penn State returns redshirt senior Khalil Din- kins, redshirt sophomores Andrew Rappleyea and Joey Schlaffer, and sophomore Luke Reyn- olds. The Lions are also welcoming two other true freshman tight ends in Andrew Olesh and Brian Kortovich, both of whom are already on campus. Given the depth of the position group and the fact that Henderson isn't arriving until later this year, a redshirt season seems likely. They Said It Mike Henderson, Powhatan's head coach and Matt's father: "He's great at going up to get the ball. He's gotten a lot better at that. I give basketball a lot of credit for him being able to high-point the ball and keep his coordination in the air. I think that's a big reason why a lot of people started thinking about him. They saw an athletic 6-5 kid who could go up and get the ball." T H E H E N D E R S O N F I L E