Clemson continues to show a lot of interest in a top-100 prospect in the class of 2024. Since February, defensive ends coach Lemanski Hall has been in contact with Leeds (Ala.) four-star defensive lineman Kavion Henderson.
Henderson — a 6-foot-3, 242-pound junior — currently ranks as the No. 10 player at his position and the nation’s No. 98 overall prospect in the class of 2024, per the 247Sports Composite rankings.
“Right now I’ve just been hearing a lot from then,” Henderson told The Clemson Insider Sunday night. “Coach Ski, right after the Under Armour camp, he got in touch with me through Hunter Osborne.”
Henderson is close friends with Osborne, as they work out together on a consistent basis. TCI recently caught up with the four-star defensive end out of Hewitt-Trussville (Ala.), who gave the latest on his recruitment and where Clemson stands in the mix of things.
“They really want me,” Osborne said. “I don’t want to say that they need me, because they can get anyone in the country that they want, but they’re really showing the effort that they truly want me as a player and a person. The relationship is there. We talk every single week. Me and Coach (Wesley) Goodwin, Coach (Lemanski) Hall and Coach (Nick) Eason, we talk all the time. They’re just showing that they really want me.”
According to Henderson, Osborne really likes Clemson, as well as Hall and head coach Dabo Swinney. Henderson himself talks with Clemson’s defensive ends coach on a weekly basis. Hall told him that he wants him to come and camp up at Clemson this summer.
“Coach Ski, he’s a great coach,” Henderson said of Hall. “I really like what he does with his edge guys. I just like what he does. I know that they offer late, which sometimes can be a problem to people, but I think it won’t be a problem for me. Definitely a top school and I’d love to visit. I haven’t visited yet, but I will.
“He told me that I’m an offer-type guy. I just gotta go up there. I’ll definitely camp for them and show my skills.”
Speaking of his skills, Henderson describes himself as a “speed-type guy,” who is quick and violent with his hands.
Henderson said that he would love to learn from a number of Clemson’s elite defensive linemen, but he really wants to meet redshirt sophomore defensive tackle Bryan Bresee.
He was previously in contact with former Clemson defensive line coach Todd Bates, who has since left for Oklahoma and has become an assistant head coach and co-defensive coordinator under Brent Venables. Funny enough, Henderson was at the University of Oklahoma this past weekend for the program’s spring game.
“It was great, man,” he said. “I really liked the atmosphere. The staff was great. Like I said, they was at Clemson, so I was already in contact with Coach Bates when he was at Clemson, so we just started from there. I’m just looking to get down to Clemson now to see what they’re talking about and see how everything goes.”
While Henderson is currently enjoying the recruitment process, he’s identified some factors that he’s already looking for in a school at the next level. His relationship with his position coach will play a big factor, as well as the way they utilize their defensive linemen.
— Photo for this article courtesy of Kavion Henderson.
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