Draft Prospect Preview | CB CJ Henderson, Florida

Here's yet another young cornerback prospect that brings versatility to a defense.

Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports

CJ HENDERSON 

Height: 6-foot 1
Weight: 202 lbs
Grade: Junior
School: Florida

The Giants could use an injection of talented new blood to their secondary. They have some promising young pieces, including Deandre Baker and Jabrill Peppers. Yet they are missing a versatile physical enforcer, and that’s where CJ Henderson comes in.

Henderson, a native of Florida, and a four-star prospect out of high school, initially considered the University of Miami, ultimately committing to the University of Florida.

From the moment he arrived, his game just spoke for itself. He has an uncanny level of intensity and tenacity with his play on the field. In just his freshman year, he made UF history, becoming the first player to begin his career with interceptions returned for a touchdown in consecutive games.

Off the field, he’s quiet and reserved; he gives the ball to the referee instead of celebrating. Yet his film shows a player who, on the field, plays with intensity and ferocity. He tended to contest most balls thrown his way, with an impressive 11 passes defended in 2019.

At 6-foot 1, Henderson has great length and range, being able to line up all over the field. His vine-like arms help him blanket the opponent’s best receiver and annihilate normal throwing windows.

The knock against Henderson is his tackling, as there were moments on tape where he shied away from contact. If he can become more consistent with his tackling at the next level, there is sure to be a role for him.

Why He’s a Fit

Dave Gettleman won’t be able to fix this defense with one pick, but he can (and probably will) get the process started.

New defensive coordinator Patrick Graham will benefit from adding new pieces to his defense. This especially goes for the secondary, as his scheme usually has some combination of five defensive backs on the field.

It's not known if the Giants still envision a starting duo of DeAndre Baker and Sam Beal at cornerback. Still, depending on the roles the coaches see for Corey Ballentine and Julian Love, adding another cornerback to the mix wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing on a defense that couldn't stop the pass last season.