Jaguars Select C.J. Henderson with No. 9 pick in NFL Draft

Critics will point to his inconsistency as a tackler, but Henderson has elite coverage skills

Sports Illustrated | Apr 23, 2020

The Jacksonville Jaguars selected CB C.J. Henderson with the No. 9 pick of the 2020 NFL Draft. A South Beach native, Henderson was raised in Miami, Florida, and attended Christopher Columbus High School. Henderson played on both sides of the ball for the Explorers, as he was a cornerback and a running back. After initially committing to the Miami Hurricanes, Henderson de-committed and decided to play for the ‘Canes cross state rival Florida Gators.

From his freshman year on, Henderson was a defensive mainstay at Florida, as he started 27 games and was a top man-to-man defender in the talent-laden SEC. Helping solidify his position as a top cornerback prospect, Henderson posted a 4.39 time in the 40-yard dash during the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine. Over three seasons as a Gator, Henderson recorded 93 tackles, four sacks, and six interceptions, two of which he returned for a touchdown.

Here’s why SI’s Kevin Hanson ranked Henderson as the No. 13 overall player on his big board:

Critics will be quick to point to his inconsistency as a tackler, but Henderson has elite man-coverage skills. His agility, fluid movements, and smooth transitions keep him connected to routes in coverage and while the ball production wasn’t there in 2019, Henderson had six interceptions in his first two seasons combined at Florida.

2019 stats (Junior; Florida): 26 solo tackles, 33 total tackles, 1 sack (9 games)

2018 stats (Sophomore; Florida): 26 solo tackles, 38 total tackles, 3 sacks, 2 INT (12 games)

2017 stats (Freshman; Florida): 14 solo tackles, 22 total tackles, 4 INT, 2 TD (9 games)

Stick with SI.com throughout the weekend for in-depth coverage of the 2020 NFL Draft, including the impact of prominent rookies joining new teams, team-by-team breakdowns, fantasy football, and gambling reactions, draft grades and so much more.

NFL Draft Exclusives: Sign up for Sports Illustrated’s newsletters and get the latest NFL Draft coverage, analysis and highlights - delivered right to your inbox.

Latest NFL Draft Coverage from Sports Illustrated

Published Apr 23, 2020