Michigan OL LaDarius Henderson taken in seventh round of 2024 NFL Draft
Michigan Wolverines offensive tackle LaDarius Henderson had his pro dream realized on Saturday with the Houston Texans selecting him in the seventh round with the No. 249 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Henderson, who spent one season in Ann Arbor, appeared in 14 games last season with 10 starts at left tackle. He was unable to join the team until fall camp, so it was a bit of a slower start than expected, but he started his first game in the win at Nebraska on Sept. 30 and never looked back, earning first-team All-Big Ten honors from the coaches and second team honors from the media.
Prior to his time in Ann Arbor, he appeared in 33 games with 29 starts at Arizona State with 19 of them coming at left guard and 10 at left tackle, the latter of which came as a 17-year-old freshman. He was voted a team captain in 2022.
Coming out of high school, he was a three-star recruit and No. 749 player in the country, No. 64 at offensive tackle and 94th-ranked player in the state of Texas, according to the On3 Industry Ranking.
Henderson was considered a pro prospect coming out of Arizona State with a Shrine Bowl invite, but turned it down for the opportunity to play for a national championship and develop at Michigan.
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The Athletic’s Dane Brugler discussed what Henderson brings to the table in “The Beast,” his annual draft guide.
“A one-year starter at Michigan, Henderson was the left tackle in former head coach Jim Harbaugh’s power-spread offense,” Brugler wrote. “After starting at left tackle as a 17-year-old freshman at Arizona State and entrenching himself as the starting left guard as a sophomore and junior,he transferred to Ann Arbor and moved back to left tackle for his final season, helping the Wolverines to the national title. Henderson has an explosive first step with the long arms to corral and push defenders away from the ball.
“Considering he didn’t play football until his junior year of high school (and played for five different offensive coordinators in five years), he is understandably rough around the edges with inconsistent body control, which showed repeatedly on his 2023 film. Overall, Henderson has the length and movement skill that NFL offensive line coaches want to work with, but his inconsistent slide tempo and overall feel for balance might put a cap on his pro ceiling. There is some upside there for a zone-blocking scheme to develop.”
