2021 WR JJ Henry calls new SMU offer 'mind-blowing'
Self-described as "shifty," McKinney North 2021 receiver JJ Henry is a player to watch -- and one SMU jumped on quickly.
There are plenty of adjectives that athletes love to use in self-descriptions. One word not heard as often is "shifty," which was the first word McKinney North 2021 wide receiver JJ Henry used when asked about his play.
Watch his film, and "shifty" fits perfectly. At 5-10 and 158 pounds, Henry is not the biggest player on the field, but his size takes a back seat when scouts see how tough it is for defenders to tackle him on the first try.
Throw in speed and quickness, and Henry makes for a rising star in recruiting. Thursday evening, the junior added an offer from SMU, his second offer overall. Henry said he received the offer after a conversation with SMU receivers coach David Gru.
"We spoke earlier [Thursday]. He got to know me, and I got to know him," Henry said. "He talked to me about how the organization works and how I can contribute to the team and be in a good role.
"For me, the call ended in a smile."
Henry's first offer came last month from Texas Southern, but he was excited to get an offer from a team like SMU that is building something special around the Dallas area. He's an outside receiver for McKinney North but believes his best days ahead of him will come as a slot receiver at the next level, primarily because of the opportunities to use his shiftiness and elusiveness inside.
Henry was SMU's homecoming game against East Carolina. He left the campus impressed with everything that SMU had to offer.
"Just to know a ranked team offered me is mind-blowing," he said. "I'm not really surprised at this year, but things are really blowing up. I guess hard work is starting to pay off."
Henry is the leading receiver for a McKinney North team that is 10-1 and preparing for a UIL Class 5A Division I Region II area-round playoff against Lancaster on Friday. He has 67 receptions for 1,396 yards and 16 touchdowns. Henry is averaging nearly 21 yards per catch.
Henry also has 10 rushes for 87 yards and two touchdowns. He is averaging nearly nine yards per rush. As a sophomore, Henry caught 21 passes for 256 yards and two touchdowns.
Henry has been clocked in the 40-yard dash at 4.46 seconds (hand-held), and he's expected to have a monster offseason in an effort to show why SMU was one of the first schools to jump on him.
In fact, he wants to -- and expects to -- make a highlight every time he touches the ball.
"I know if I can get off one tackle, I can get more yards," he said. "I know I will make something happen."