2020 NFL Draft Big Board: Ranking the top ten cornerbacks

Projected Round: 1st-2nd

Game Reviewed: Miami vs Florida, 2019

I have been beating this drum for the last several months now. The fact that C.J. Henderson had a down year from missing games early because of an injury isn’t going to stop me now.

Henderson came into 2019 as a strong candidate to be the first cornerback selected in the 2020 NFL draft. Henderson had just come off two seasons where he accounted for 6 interceptions, 9 passes deflected, 2 forced fumbles, 60 tackles and 3 sacks (ESPN). An injury in the season changed all of that, as he missed all but one game in September.

Even with an injury this season, he finished the year with 11 passes deflected, the most on his team by a wide margin and 24th best in the country. At the beginning of the season, he was given the number one jersey by his coaching staff, a tradition for the Florida Gators meant as a sign of respect.

2019 was admittedly not Henderson’s best season. But the plays he put on film in his first 2 seasons, combined with his film from this season shows a cornerback with incredible skills. Henderson is perhaps most importantly fun to watch play. Florida cornerbacks get a bad rep on social media and more old school fans.

They are called cocky, arrogant, showboats, and so forth. And it is obvious Henderson likes to win. But what one man calls arrogant another will can call confident. When you say showboating, all I hear is entertaining. And Henderson is very entertaining to watch.

Henderson is a very dynamic cornerback. In the 2020 NFL draft, no cornerback has played with as much experience playing exotic defenses. Henderson can play in a variety of schemes and positions. Press coverage, zone, slot coverage, blitzing, it doesn’t matter. Henderson is going wherever the ball is going. Henderson rarely gets knocked off coverage by double moves or deceptive receiver routes.

He is physical and will take receivers down with a level of intensity that is hard to miss. He is fantastic at raking the arms of whoever has the ball. If the ball is passed to someone else or if a running back is running in the opposite direction, Henderson will run there very quickly. Even when the offensive player has two or three defenders bringing him down, Henderson will join in and make a play for the ball.

Henderson stands out when running downfield, his unique body type jumps off the screen at you. At 6-foot-1 190 pounds, he is the ideal height of an NFL cornerback. His weight makes him appear a little gaunt, but that doesn’t stop him from out-muscling opposing receivers. He’s also exceptional at cornerback blitzes, getting 4 sacks since 2018.

His play in 2019, along with his rookie season was all over the map. This will make some teams hesitant to select Henderson in the 2020 NFL draft. But he has the speed, athletic ability and energy to give offensive coordinators fits in the NFL.

While his play regressed this season, I believe his versatility as a defender makes up for that and will make him a unique prospect for scouts and general managers. Even if Henderson can’t make it as an outside cornerback in the NFL, his tape shows a defensive back who could thrive as a slot defender or even a strong safety, to say nothing of special teams usage.

The cornerback position has one of the highest boom-bust ratios in the NFL. But with Henderson, NFL teams will know they have a player who can contribute on all sides of the defense.