After securing the commitment of Bridgeland (Texas) four-star Reid Mikeska, it’s no secret that Clemson is still in the market for a tight end.
In this week’s edition of The Insider Report, The Clemson Insider disclosed some new names at the tight end position that Clemson is currently pursuing, like First Baptist Academy (Naples, Fla.) three-star Olsen Patt Henry.
Henry — a 6-foot-4, 210-pound junior in the class of 2023 — was able to give us an extensive breakdown of what he’s been hearing from the Tigers, as tight ends coach and passing game coordinator Kyle Richardson reached out to him last week.
“Coach Richardson, he’s very interested in me and really wants me to come up and see how they work their program,” Henry said. “He really thinks I can be a big impact on their offense. He said I have great ball skills and I can really go up and get the ball when needed.”
He describes himself as more of a receiving tight end, kind of like former University of Florida standout Kyle Pitts in a way.
What did it mean for Henry to hear from a school like Clemson?
“It’s just a very God-blessing process,” he said. “It’s kind of crazy hearing from Clemson, like a big school like that, seeing me as a great player and them seeing me as someone who can be impactful to their school. It’s just a blessing because Clemson’s a very great program and a school like that telling a kid how great they are and really how good skills there are and can be impactful to their team, it’s just a blessing.”
As previously mentioned, Clemson is pursuing another tight end in this class.
According to Henry, Richardson indicated that at first, Clemson coach Dabo Swinney told him that he was only allowed to get one tight end in the class of 2023. The Tigers have since adapted their thinking and seem to be under the belief that Davis Allen will be declaring for the draft following the 2022 season.
“So, Coach Swinney wants him to pick two tight ends in the class of 2023,” Henry said. “They already have one locked in (Reid Mikeska), but they need one more.”
That could be Henry.
Henry hasn’t discussed an offer with Richardson, but he said he believes in his heart that it will come. We know that Clemson likes to get prospects on campus at least once before pulling the trigger on an offer, so Henry said that he will be making his way up to Tiger Town sometime this summer.
“It would mean a lot,” Henry said regarding a potential offer from Clemson. “I would just thank God and see how Jesus moves in a way. It would just be a very blessing offer and a very potentially be ranked as one of my top offers.”
As far as his recruitment is concerned, Henry is just trying to enjoy the process. He understands that it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience and he’s trying to soak in everything while he still can.
Henry figures that he won’t make a decision until after the completion of his senior season because he’s unsure of what school fits him best at the current moment. That will also enable him to take some gameday visits to various schools throughout the country.
While all schools are on an even playing field for him right now, Henry mentions Rutgers, West Virginia, Alabama, Louisville and Oklahoma as the schools recruiting him the hardest right now.
— Photo for this article courtesy of Olsen Patt Henry.
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