K.J. Henry Growing On, Off Field at Clemson
K.J. Henry knows it sounds like a cliche, but Clemson really has changed him.
The redshirt sophomore defensive end heard during his recruiting visits about being able to grow on and off the field at Clemson, and as a young person, he wondered if it was just words to get him to sign.
Heading into his third year with the Tigers, that hasn't been the case.
"I love it because that's exactly how it is we get here," Henry said Monday. "It doesn't change. It's great guys, great competitors, great athletes, and above us are some great men. So, overall, it's just been great."
For Henry, that self-growth has been extremely important. He asked the coaches if he could redshirt in 2018 because he didn't feel like he was ready to compete at a high enough level.
On the field, Henry has shown great progress. The heralded North Carolina product said he's gone from the "best basketball crossover to a football player in the country" to a pass-rusher who's more confident in his strength and knowledge of the playbook and position.
This year, that should result in more production for Henry, who had two sacks and 4.5 tackles for a loss in 2019. But off the field, he's already flourished.
"I feel like I've grown in ways...trying to find myself. Just do the best I can be, as influential as I can be in my time here and being able to use the platform as much as I can, as it's not here forever," Henry said. "At the same time I know you know God put me on this earth to give His message and ways that I could do it in a positive light, and so I've just been able to grow that through P.A.W. Journey, my position group, really just the culture here. I've been able to grow my all-around self, so so it's been great off the field just as it has on it."
Henry has used that platform to be at the forefront of the Black Lives Matter movement for the team, and he's looking to do more in activism during this season.
He also feels like he's grown as a leader, which is something that's needed on a Clemson defense replacing many key starters off last season's 14-1 squad.
"I definitely say I feel I've been a leader since I've been here in some fashion or another, but my leadership role is definitely grown this year," Henry said. "I'm starting to see that. And I'm loving it, loving the influence I have with the guys. I feel like they respect me, respect what I do out here and so I'm just trying to give back and really just teach what I've been taught, but definitely my leadership role has grown this year for sure."
