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The transfer portal is red-hot right now and the Gophers are taking advantage. SE Louisiana defensive back Jack Henderson was the latest to grab an oar. Listed at 6-foot-2, 205 pounds he had 82 total tackles, 2 INTs, 2 sacks and 2 FFs last season en route to All-Southland Conference honors last season. He held other top offers from Louisiana Tech, Colorado State and UL Monroe before settling on Minnesota.
Great place, incredible people surrounding me. This is where I NEED to be! #RTB 🖤 Thank you to the faculty and staff that made this happen! Minnesota’s special… @Coach_DCollins pic.twitter.com/MUCVupcHJf
— Jack Henderson (@jack12henderson) December 19, 2022
Who is Jack Henderson?:
Hailing from Mandeville, Louisiana Jack Henderson was under-recruited out of high school. He played defensive back and running back on the gridiron and he was also a standout lacrosse player for the Mandeville High School Skippers. He opted to stay home and go to school less than an hour from his hometown for top FCS program Southeastern Louisiana. He quickly made an impact for the Lions, playing in all seven games as a true freshman, recording 22 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and two interceptions en route to third-team all-conference honors. He only got better totaling 82 tackles, 2 INTs, 2 sacks and 2 FFs last season resulting in first-team all-conference honors in 2022. He will now have at least three years of eligibility remaining.
- Scouting Report:
Listed at 6-foot-2, 205 pounds, Henderson has great size for the safety position. Running a reported 4.55 40-yard dash, he also has very good athleticism. He can fly over the field, acting as a true playmaker in the secondary. I believe that he has all the tools to be a productive safety in the Big Ten. He has the chance to be a very fun replacement for Jordan Howden next to Tyler Nubin in the backend of Minnesota’s defense next season.
**Highlights:
SLU Highlights PT. 1 – 6’2 205 lbs, 4.55 40. Only going to get better. pic.twitter.com/5o78Plodas
— Jack Henderson (@jack12henderson) December 8, 2022
Instant Reaction:
Jack Henderson is a very intriguing addition to the Gophers’ defense next season. Losing Jordan Howden to graduation and Michael “Flip” Dixon made safety a clear need this offseason. Henderson has all of the tools to be an elite playmaker in the backend of the defense he just needs to show it. Adding Jack Gibbens and Ryan Stapp from Abilene Christian in the past, the FCS/Southland Conference pipeline has been kind to the Gophers thus far. The Big Ten is obviously a step up in competition, but I believe that Henderson has the skills to more than hold his own and even develop into a serious leader on this football. Adding sophomores; Henderson and Elijah Spencer, these moves are for the future of this program.
What is next?:
Henderson is the Gophers’ fourth addition from the transfer portal, as they continue to rebuild their roster for 2023.
- Western Michigan, WR, Corey Crooms Jr.
- Western Michigan, LB, Ryan Selig
- Charlotte, WR, Elijah Spencer
- SE Louisiana, DB, Jack Henderson
I believe Pass Rushers/Edge defenders should still be priority No. 1, while interior defensive line, running back and interior offensive line are still major needs. With the transfer portal still officially open for 31 more days, I think the Gophers are far from over-adding some talent in this cycle. The portal will open back up in the spring, so there are still a lot of dominoes to fall before Minnesota’s roster takes shape. With all that being said, Coach Fleck and his staff have had a solid start to the 2022-23 fall portal cycle.