2024 4-star DL Kavion Henderson commits to Arkansas

Leeds (Ala.) four-star defensive lineman Kavion Henderson held offers from some of the top programs in college football, including Alabama, Georgia, Michigan and Tennessee. It turns out those schools, and many others, were playing from behind in Henderson’s recruitment for multiple months.

The 6-foot-1.5, 250-pound prospect silently committed to Arkansas in March. On Sunday, he made his pledge to the Razorbacks and head coach Sam Pittman official.

“I wanted to commit [to Arkansas] because I see potential in them,” Henderson told On3. “They’ll be a great team and he’s already a great coach when he was at Georgia. He knows what great players are like and what great coaches are like.”

Henderson has been to Fayetteville three times and will be returning for Arkansas’ game against LSU on Nov. 12. He can already see the development created by Pittman and his staff, from a 9-4 season last year to a top-10 ranking this September.

The four-star is confident that the Razorbacks will be an SEC contender in the future. That’s one of the reasons why he wants to help the Razorbacks’ resurgence.

“I wanted to go somewhere and make an impact,” said Henderson, the No. 135 overall prospect and No. 13 defensive lineman in the 2024 On3 Consensus. “They got a lot of great players there… They came through and I want to make a difference there at the EDGE position. I just want to make an impact and (I) see myself playing here along with some great players.”

Henderson recognized that there is ‘belief in Arkansas’

Henderson still remembers the night he called Pittman. He said the third-year Arkansas coach was happy and excited about his decision.

“The coach is unbelievable,” Henderson said. “Coach Pittman, he kept it real. He told me some stuff. He was just funny, and he reminded me of my coach.”

But it was not just Pittman who showed interest in Henderson. Multiple members of the Razorbacks’ staff were in communication with the Alabama native. They spoke with his grandmother as well, which meant a lot.

“The d-line coach, the d-line assistant, coach Pittman, the special teams coach, the defensive coordinator,” Henderson said. “It was just a lot of coaches. They all called me once a week.

“Arkansas put a lot of effort into recruiting me. The coaches showed me they wanted me. They want me and I want to make an impact for them.”

Henderson received an offer from the Crimson Tide in September. Yet he felt at home with Arkansas, calling it “the best place to be in my eyes.”

Two main factors of Henderson’s decision were the ability to make a big difference on the field and produce at a high level. The four-star feels like he can achieve those goals best with the Razorbacks.

“I decided to play here because they need EDGE guys,” Kavion Henderson said. “Alabama, they already got what they got. They wanted to add more talent, but I just wanted to go to Arkansas to make a mark. Alabama’s already doing a great job. I just want to help (Arkansas) out. There’s belief in Arkansas. I want to let the people know and I think they’ll be excited too because it’s the best for me.”