Standout Senior Bowl LB could be a great fit for the NY Giants
All week in Mobile, Ala., countless college stars have been putting on a show at the Senior Bowl. It’s been a lot of fun to watch, with NY Giants general manager Joe Schoen getting a front-row look at the potential some of these young studs have. One guy in particular that has seen his stock rise a bit is a player Big Blue fans should keep an eye on.
That player would be Washington State linebacker Daiyan Henley. Henley posted video game-type numbers for Jake Dickert and the Cougars this past season, but he never received the kind of national attention he was probably hoping for.
That has changed this week, however, with analysts and scouts taking full notice of how good this kid can be. With Henley playing so well, he has indeed raised his stock and Schoen should be following him closely.
https://twitter.com/CamMellor/status/1620849478013194242
Washington State LB Daiyan Henley is catching the eyes of NFL scouts at the Senior Bowl
"“Henley has already forced a grade change from yours truly with his play in the first two days of practice, and NFL scouts might be making similar adjustments,” NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein wrote. “He moves around the field with an alpha demeanor, but his ability to match up with running backs in coverage really stood out. The wideout-turned-linebacker showed off his lateral twitch and ball skills to hound the route and squeeze the catch point. The ability to play well on all three downs is a huge advantage for linebackers on draft day, and Henley showed off that ability on Wednesday.”"
After starting his college career at Nevada, Henley transferred to WSU for his final year of college eligibility and he was brilliant. Last campaign, Henley posted 106 tackles with 12 for loss, four sacks, an interception, two passes defensed, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. This led to the 6-2, 230-pounder earning First Team All-Pac-12 honors.
As great as that feeling was for Henley, he’s now hoping to hear his name called early on in the 2023 NFL Draft. Before the Senior Bowl, a lot of experts had Henley as a third or fourth-round pick. He has helped his case this week, though.
If he’s still on the board in the second or third round for the G-Men, you never know, NY could look to bring him in. The linebackers room needs some serious upgrades. Henley is an exciting young talent who could turn out to be a playmaker for defensive coordinator Wink Martindale.
