Tag: KJ Henry

10 defensive line prospects for the Eagles to watch at 2023 Senior Bowl

We’re previewing 10 defensive line prospects for the Philadelphia Eagles to watch at the 2022 Senior Bowl #TheDraftStartsInMobile

The NFL draft starts in Mobile, and even with the Eagles preparing to face the Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII, all eyes this week will be on Alabama, for the 2023 Reese’s Senior Bowl.

Philadelphia has one of the NFL’s defensive lines, but Fletcher Cox, Brandon Graham, Ndamukong Suh, Linval Joseph, Robert Quinn, and Javon Hargrave can all be free agents after the Super Bowl.

With 18+ Eagles set to hit unrestricted free agency, Howie Roseman could look to upgrade the defensive line via the NFL Draft.

With kickoff from Mobile just 24 hours away, here are ten defensive linemen to watch at the Senior Bowl on Saturday.

 

Clemson defensive end has message for Tiger fans

After suffering the first loss of his Clemson career against South Carolina on Saturday, a fifth-year defensive end took to Twitter with a heartfelt message for Tiger fans as well as his teammates. KJ Henry had this to say following eighth-ranked …

After suffering the first loss of his Clemson career against South Carolina on Saturday, a fifth-year defensive end took to Twitter with a heartfelt message for Tiger fans as well as his teammates.

KJ Henry had this to say following eighth-ranked Clemson’s 31-30 loss to the Gamecocks, which snapped the Tigers’ seven-game winning streak in the rivalry series and their 40-game winning streak at Death Valley:

Henry led Clemson (10-2) with 11 tackles against the Gamecocks and posted half a sack with one tackle for loss and two quarterback hurries.

The North Carolina native and the Tigers will be back on the field this Saturday for the ACC Championship Game against North Carolina in Charlotte (8 p.m., ABC).

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Analysts give their takeaways from Tigers’ win over Louisville

Clemson got back in the win column on Saturday, bouncing back from an upset loss at Notre Dame a week earlier. On ACC Network’s ACC Huddle show, analysts Eric Mac Lain, EJ Manuel, Mark Richt and Eddie Royal gave their takeaways from the 10th-ranked …

Clemson got back in the win column on Saturday, bouncing back from an upset loss at Notre Dame a week earlier.

On ACC Network’s ACC Huddle show, analysts Eric Mac Lain, EJ Manuel, Mark Richt and Eddie Royal gave their takeaways from the 10th-ranked Tigers’ 31-16 victory over Louisville at Death Valley, where Will Shipley highlighted the win with a 25-yard touchdown run in the third quarter that saw him hurdle a defender at the 10-yard line and then split two other defenders en route to the end zone.

The epic play put Clemson up 24-7 less than five minutes into the second half and sent the Tigers on the way to their 39th consecutive home win, tying the 2005-11 Oklahoma Sooners for the ninth-longest home winning streak in FBS history.

“Man, he’s just a special talent,” Mac Lain, the former Clemson All-ACC offensive lineman, said of Shipley. “Bursting through the hole and jumping over a guy, and then showing some power, staying in the end zone. That’s a bad dude right there.”

Shipley finished with 97 yards and the touchdown on 19 carries, fellow sophomore running back Phil Mafah picked up 106 yards and a touchdown on 10 totes and quarterback DJ Uiagalelei ran for 32 yards and another score as the Tigers racked up 248 rushing yards on the day.

Meanwhile, Antonio Williams recorded 83 yards on a Clemson-freshman-record-tying 10 receptions and caught his third touchdown of the season on a 4-yard slant from Uiagalelei in the second quarter.

“I loved what I saw from the running game … which was huge for DJ,” said Royal, the former Virginia Tech standout and longtime NFL wide receiver. “Take a little bit of pressure off of him, and then Antonio Williams stepping up and really becoming that number one receiver that they need today.”

Uiagalelei completed 19 of his 27 passes against the Cardinals for 185 yards, accounted for two touchdowns and totaled 223 yards overall including a 6-yard catch from Williams in the third quarter.

Clemson (9-1, 7-0 ACC) opened the game with a 12-play, 75-yard scoring drive, which Uiagalelei started with two runs for 11 yards. The junior signal-caller later finished the drive with an 11-yard rushing touchdown, his career-high fifth of the season.

“DJ for whatever reason – I think it’s probably true with a lot of quarterbacks – everybody has a little bit of butterflies,” said Richt, the former Miami and Georgia head coach. “Sometimes you got a lot of butterflies, and just to take a shot or deliver a blow as a runner, sometimes it relieves that pressure and all the sudden, things start going well for you.

“But he made a lot of great throws today, a lot of great decisions, and he had a good bit of time in the pocket. But I think he played one of his cleanest games of the year.”

Meanwhile, Clemson’s defense registered two takeaways, four sacks and nine tackles for a loss against Louisville (6-4, 3-4), in addition to forcing five three-and-outs.

Linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr. led Clemson in total tackles with 12, while linebacker Barrett Carter posted eight tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, two sacks and an interception. Defensive end KJ Henry chipped in six tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss, a pass breakup and two quarterback hurries, and defensive tackle Bryan Bresee notched a sack, 1.5 tackles for loss and a pass breakup.

“I felt like the Clemson defense really stepped up in this game because everybody watching the Notre Dame game, giving up over 200 yards rushing – extremely uncharacteristic for this Tiger defense,” said Manuel, the former Florida State and NFL quarterback. “But really just seeing KJ Henry get active, Bryan Bresee get active, and if they weren’t able to get home for sacks, knocking the ball down was huge, especially against (Louisville quarterback) Malik Cunningham.”

“Going back to the defense just for a moment, the good news was when they did get hit in the mouth, when they did get embarrassed, they turned it on and kicked some tail today, which was great to see,” Richt added.

Mac Lain added that Clemson’s defensive showing was the most important piece of Saturday’s game in his eyes.

“That was the aspect that we thought was going to be very dominant, elite, one-of-a-kind type stuff that quite frankly we have not seen this year yet,” he said. “They’re getting better, they’re figuring out, they’re putting stuff together. But why does it take a loss, why does it take an embarrassing loss to step up and show great effort and to show that you want to be there and dominate, but that’s what they did.”

Clemson clinched the ACC Atlantic Division outright with the victory, and while the Tigers are currently on the outside looking in at the College Football Playoff, another playoff appearance this season isn’t out of the question for Dabo Swinney’s team just yet.

After concluding the regular season with back-to-back home games against Miami and South Carolina over the next two weekends – beginning with Saturday’s 3:30 p.m. contest against the Hurricanes on ESPN – the Tigers will take on North Carolina in the ACC Championship Game in Charlotte on Dec. 3 (8 p.m., ABC).

“At the end of the day, a lot of goals still out there for Clemson,” Mac Lain said. “Chaos can happen, and who knows what you get. But I thought it was also great to see the confidence from DJ, to run him early, which really affected him in a positive way.”

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Henry shares views from the couch

During Clemson’s bye week, defensive end KJ Henry is getting the chance to do what fans are able to every week – enjoy kicking back, relaxing and watching some college football. Henry has a different perspective this week on the couch, as opposed to …

During Clemson’s bye week, defensive end KJ Henry is getting the chance to do what fans are able to every week — enjoy kicking back, relaxing and watching some college football.

Henry has a different perspective this week on the couch, as opposed to on the field, and he took to Twitter with some thoughts about the criticism that college football Saturdays can bring from fans:

Following this open date, Henry and the Tigers will return to action next Saturday, Nov. 5 at Notre Dame.

Henry, the fifth-year senior, has 29 total tackles in eight games (eight starts) this season. He ranks third on the team with 6.5 tackles for loss and has two sacks, four pass breakups and 18 quarterback pressures.

Dear Old Clemson is excited to announce a limited edition football and poster signed by Clemson’s Avengers.

Now there is a new way you can support Clemson student-athletes. Purchase collectibles from Dear Old Clemson and the proceeds with go to support Clemson student-athletes. Visit Dear Old Clemson to find out how you can help!

Clemson DE tied for FBS lead in this stat over last two weeks

This standout Clemson pass rusher has been harrassing quarterbacks on a consistent basis. The Tigers’ graduate senior defensive end, K.J. Henry, is tied for the FBS lead with 16 quarterback pressures over the past couple of weeks per Pro Football …

This standout Clemson pass rusher has been harrassing quarterbacks on a consistent basis.

The Tigers’ graduate senior defensive end, K.J. Henry, is tied for the FBS lead with 16 quarterback pressures over the past couple of weeks per Pro Football Focus.

Only Alabama’s Will Anderson Jr., the reigning Nagurski Trophy winner as the nation’s top defensive player last season, has as many quarterback pressures as Henry in the last two weeks.

Henry was credited with two tackles (one for loss) and the fourth fumble recovery of his career vs. NC State two weeks ago before contributing two tackles (one for loss) at Boston College last week.

In his fifth year at Clemson, the native of Winston-Salem, N.C., has tallied a team-high 5.5 tackles for loss through six games this season. He has recorded 22 total tackles, a sack and a pass breakup to go with a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

Henry entered the 2022 season having registered 88 career tackles (19.0 for loss), 10.0 sacks, five pass breakups, three fumble recoveries and one forced fumble in 1,112 snaps over 44 career games (10 starts).

Dear Old Clemson is excited to announce a limited edition football and poster signed by Clemson’s Avengers.

Now there is a new way you can support Clemson student-athletes. Purchase collectibles from Dear Old Clemson and the proceeds with go to support Clemson student-athletes. Visit Dear Old Clemson to find out how you can help!

Clemson expecting ‘fun ride’ with defensive line that’s growing whole

The strength of Clemson’s defense has been without some of that might all season, but that’s in line to change soon. The Tigers’ defensive line, considered arguably the best in college football coming into the season, has been one of musical chairs …

The strength of Clemson’s defense has been without some of that might all season, but that’s in line to change soon.

The Tigers’ defensive line, considered arguably the best in college football coming into the season, has been one of musical chairs with various players within the two-deep at the position bouncing in and out of the lineup. The depth there has helped keep Clemson among the national leaders in some defensive categories, which includes owning the No. 2 run defense in the country (63.7 yards per game).

But the group could reach another level now that it’s set to become whole again this weekend. At least that’s how one returning member of the front views it.

“It’s definitely going to be a fun ride just knowing all the things we’ve been through as a defensive line,” said Xavier Thomas, who played six snaps in his season debut against Boston College last week.

Barring any setbacks ahead of Clemson’s game at Florida State on Saturday, the Tigers will have Thomas, Myles Murphy, Tyler Davis and Bryan Bresee available at the same time, something that hasn’t happened much during their time as teammates at Clemson. Thomas and fellow end KJ Henry are both fifth-year players who’ve been around the longest while Davis, also a senior, has been a starter since his freshman year in 2019. But since Bresee and Murphy signed with the Tigers in 2020, Bresee, Murphy, Thomas and Davis have played less than 30 snaps together. 

“We haven’t really been able to play together fully healthy,” Thomas said. “And coming down this stretch, it’s going to be really important with the goals we want to achieve with winning the national championship.”

Bresee, who’s only played in three games so far, missed last week’s game with a medical issue that’s not football-related. But Bresee has been practicing, and Clemson coach Dabo Swinney confirmed Tuesday the Tigers’ star defensive tackle will be back against the Seminoles.

“I don’t think we get worse with Bryan back,” Swinney said through a grin. “I think he makes us better.”

As for Thomas, he spent the first five weeks of the season working his way back from a broken foot he suffered during preseason camp. He was on a pitch count against Boston College, but that didn’t stop the 6-foot-3, 250-pound edge defender from giving the Tigers’ pass rush a much-needed boost.

Thomas described himself as roughly 85% percent healthy at this point, so his first reps of the season were limited strictly to passing downs. The result was still two sacks, another pressure and a forced fumble against the Eagles, earning him ACC defensive lineman of the week honors.

“I know what I’m capable of, which is the reason I came back (for a fifth season) with what I wanted to accomplish,” Thomas said. “I can’t wait to be 100% and be back out there fully going.”

Swinney said the plan is to gradually increase Thomas’ workload during practice this week and play him more against Florida State. Thomas said he still feels some soreness in his surgically repaired foot. While he doesn’t have a specific snap count that he’s comfortable with at this point, Thomas said, “I’m definitely going to play a lot more this week. I can tell you that.”

As for what he expects from a group that’s inching closer to being at full strength for the first time in a long time, Swinney couldn’t help but crack another smile before answering.

“Hopefully it’s good,” he said.

Gallery: Clemson vs. Furman

Here are some of the best photos from Clemson’s home opener win against Furman.

Clemson opened had their first home game of the 2022 season Saturday as the Tigers defeated Furman 35-12 in Death Valley.

There were some good and some bad in the performance, but in Week 2, where there were upsets all across the college football landscape, it was nice to see the Tigers walk away with a win.

On offense, DJ Uiagalelei had a good showing as the quarterback completed 21-of-27 passes for 231 yards and two touchdowns with a career-high passer efficiency rating of 166.7. He completed 77.8% of his passes.

Here’s a look at some of the best pictures from Clemson’s home win against the Furman Paladins:

Younger brother of Clemson football standout set for recruiting visit to Tiger Town

The younger brother of a Clemson football standout will be in Tiger Town on a recruiting visit this weekend. Cannon School (Concord, N.C.) 2025 guard Isaiah Henry is set to take his first unofficial basketball visit to Clemson this weekend, his …

The younger brother of a Clemson football standout will be in Tiger Town on a recruiting visit this weekend.

Cannon School (Concord, N.C.) 2025 guard Isaiah Henry is set to take his first unofficial basketball visit to Clemson this weekend, his mother, Nicole Henry, announced via Twitter on Wednesday.

Isaiah is the younger brother of Tigers graduate senior defensive end KJ Henry.

The 6-foot-4 prospect, who is entering his sophomore campaign, received his first offer from Appalachian State last December and added his second offer from South Florida this past June.

–Photo for this article courtesy of Nicole Henry on Twitter (@henryfam1)

Dear Old Clemson is excited to announce a limited edition football and poster signed by Clemson’s Avengers.

Now there is a new way you can support Clemson student-athletes. Purchase collectibles from Dear Old Clemson and the proceeds with go to support Clemson student-athletes. Visit Dear Old Clemson to find out how you can help!

Different perspective, renewed appreciation accompany Clemson into new season

With just a day left before Clemson opens fall camp, the Tigers are close to turning the page completely on the 2021 season. But Clemson is taking some things with it from that experience into the new campaign. Clemson pulled off its 11th straight …

With just a day left before Clemson opens fall camp, the Tigers are close to turning the page completely on the 2021 season. But Clemson is taking some things with it from that experience into the new campaign.

Clemson pulled off its 11th straight 10-win season last fall. Yet it was perceived by many outside the program as a down year. The Tigers didn’t play for an ACC championship or make the College Football Playoff, the first time they’ve missed out on both since 2014.

It speaks volumes to the different level of expectation the program has risen to during Dabo Swinney’s 14-year tenure, a time during which the Tigers have won a whopping 80.6 % of their games.

“We were about to help him pack. He was about to get fired for only winning 10 games last year,” senior defensive end KJ Henry said jokingly. “But it’s been awesome that that’s the standard we have for this program, that all the success we’ve had over the years has come to a point that now if we win 10 games, that’s unacceptable. I don’t want that to change.”

Because of all of the high-end success, Swinney said the season also gave this year’s team a different perspective and a renewed appreciation for the level at which the program has consistently won during his time at the helm. 

Marred by a precipitous dropoff in offensive production, Clemson wasn’t its usual explosive self a season ago, something the Tigers, with second-year starting quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei and first-year offensive coordinator Brandon Streeter, are trying to rectify this year. The blowouts Clemson had grown accustomed to in the ACC in recent years turned into white-knucklers as the Tigers used the help of the league’s top defense to eek out five one-possession victories.

A rash of injuries didn’t help matters. It all made for the first bout of what Swinney called “football adversity” that his program had to deal with in years.

“We’ve had disappointment,” Swinney said. “Losing a national championship or a playoff game, that’s not adversity. That’s disappointing. But I wouldn’t call that football adversity. Football adversity is what we dealt with last year. You sit there and you’re 4-3, and you’ve got a lot of challenges. There are a lot of things. How are you going to respond?”

Clemson rattled off six consecutive wins after its final loss at Pittsburgh in late October, capping its latest double-digit win season with a seven-point win over Iowa State in the Cheez-It Bowl.

“We took that very seriously,” Henry said. “We were glad to get the win in the Cheez-It Bowl.”

The postgame celebration in Orlando was a lively one. Swinney said it was “as good of a locker room as I’ve ever been in,” which says a lot considering he’s coached Clemson to seven ACC titles, six College Football Playoff wins and a pair of national championships.

With more than half of their starters back on both sides of the ball, the Tigers’ goal is to get back to celebrating conference titles and playoff victories. But last season served as a stark reminder that Swinney and his team aren’t entitled to anything.

“This group, they have incredible leadership and a lot of veteran experience,” Swinney said. “A lot of guys that have been part of a bunch of championships. And now they’ve got a little bit of perspective to go with it.”

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Henry talks up Bresee, says star defensive tackle is an ‘amazing physical specimen’

CHARLOTTE – As Clemson’s lone representative on defense during the ACC Kickoff at The Westin Charlotte, it didn’t take long for KJ Henry to be asked about some of his teammates on that side of the ball. In a breakout session with reporters, Henry …

CHARLOTTE — As Clemson’s lone representative on defense during the ACC Kickoff at The Westin Charlotte, it didn’t take long for KJ Henry to be asked about some of his teammates on that side of the ball.

In a breakout session with reporters, Henry was almost immediately asked about Bryan Bresee and what stands out about his game.

“Other than the fact that when he stands beside me, I can’t see anything, it’s his drive,” Henry quipped. “There’s no doubt about it. He wants to be the best version of himself…He’s an amazing physical specimen of a player. He’s been dominating offensive linemen probably since he was five years old. He’s been a great guy…and he’s grown as a leader as well.”

Bresee, widely projected to be a high pick in next year’s NFL Draft, is nearly 10 months removed from surgery to repair his knee ligament. Bresee did some light running on the side during the spring and will be “ready to rock and roll” by the time fall camp rolls around, according to his position coach, Nick Eason.

Henry said that it’s been cool to see that a guy like Bresee isn’t satisfied, especially fighting back from the season-ending ACL injury he suffered against N.C. State last season.

That’s a different challenge. It strains on you mentally in ways that a lot of people don’t understand because they’ve never gone through that,” Henry said. “ Just seeing what he’s made of in that sense has been awesome.”

Henry hasn’t seen a different drive from Bresee, but he knows that the star defensive tackle has a different appreciation for the game of football.

“I’ve suffered a knee injury as well and that’s what injuries do,” he said. “Appreciation for the practices. Appreciation for the nutrition. The ability to just stand up from this chair and walk off this stage. You have to sometimes be humbled and reminded of those things. I’m not gonna put words in his mouth, but if I had to guess, I’d say just his appreciation for the things we’re allowed to do in life because we wake up every day, we go about our business and we kind of don’t think of that. I know he probably has that.”

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