Former Oklahoma DL Kevonte Henry commits to Mississippi State

Former Oklahoma defensive lineman Kevonte Henry committed to Mississippi State out of the transfer portal, according to his Twitter page.

Henry spent the 2023 season with Cerritos College after one year with the Sooners. He’ll now return to Power Five football in the SEC this year.

As a member of the Class of 2022, Henry was a four-star recruit out of Los Angeles (Calif.) Leuzinger, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He was the No. 21 overall prospect in the state, the No. 27 EDGE in the class and the No. 262 overall prospect in the class.

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire. 

Kevonte Henry to add to Mississippi State ‘energy’

With Henry back in the fold at Power Five, or Four, football, he can add to the energy described by head coach Jeff Lebby.

As a first-year head coach, Lebby is tasked with instilling a new culture and mindset within the Bulldogs program. According to the new Mississippi State coach, he can feel renewed vitality when he walks into work every morning.

“I just think there’s genuine energy inside our building. I call it genuine juice when guys walk in and there is a great feel and a great buzz where we go to work every single day,” Lebby told ESPN’s Rece Davis and Pete Thamel. “And for us, that is important. Again, that’s me setting the tone setting, what it’s going to be like, what the expectation is, what the standard is and guys understanding that we need to enjoy what we’re doing, too.”

The concept behind “genuine juice,” as Lebby explained, stems from two things. First, Lebby’s love for coffee. He drinks six shots of espresso every morning. Second, it’s the mindset that Lebby’s father, who he played football for in high school, instilled within him from a young age. To goal is to have a “genuine love,” for what you do and it shaped the Mississippi State head coach’s perspective and has kept him thankful for the successes he’s had in his career.

Barkley Truax contributed to this story