Texas A&M and head coach Jimbo Fisher know that the quarterback position is cyclical, and even though the QB room for 2023 is stable, the future is somewhat bleak as 2024 four-star Anthony Maddox remains the only committed signal caller going forward.
On Saturday, Fisher sent an offer to former Fresno State quarterback Jaylen Henderson, who stands at 6-3 and 216 pounds and still has three seasons of eligibility remaining as a redshirt sophomore, leaving the Bulldogs serving mostly as a reserve. In two full seasons at Fresno State, Henderson totaled 49 passing yards and 66 rushing yards after competing with five other quarterbacks on the roster, greatly in need of a change of scenery.
In an interview with Carter Karels of GigEm247, Henderson discussed what attracted him to Texas A&M the most.
“Coach Petrino was at Louisville with Lamar Jackson. He said my game was kind of similar to his, because I can do a lot of the same stuff that he was doing.” “How I am a dual-threat and can put pressure on a defense, he said that scheme-wise that could be tough for a defense. That is what he liked about my game. Also the fact that I can throw the deep ball, he said that stuck out to him.”
Henderson has only received one other FBS offer in Old Dominion. The Aggies hold an advantage in that regard, especially from a coaching perspective in developing his duel-threat skill set. Henderson further described why the A&M coaching looks like a perfect fit, one of the traits he places high importance in finding a new program.
“Just a great coaching staff that is going to give me a chance to compete for a starting position,” Henderson stated on his biggest priorities when looking at a program. “A coaching staff that I can learn a lot about the game from and really give me a chance to show what I can do. “And a good system for me. I feel like a lot of it deals with the system that a player is in, so the system is really important to me, too.”
Lastly, Henderson’s relationship with Aggie’s newly minted offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino will be key to landing his commitment, and with his experience at developing the quarterback position in his time at Arkansas and Louisville, Jaylen Henderson knows that the sky is the limit when his chance to compete comes to fruition.
“I loved coach Petrino’s conversation with me,” Henderson stated. “He has a great background. Just to have his interest in me is a blessing. He is confident in the abilities he saw from me, and I am also confident in my abilities. So if I end up going there, I feel like he will be able to truly utilize my ability. I am going to show the world what I can do.”
Jaylen Henderson would end up joining a QB room with sophomore Conner Weigman, senior Max Johnson, and 2023 four-star signee Marcel Reed.
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