Former Gators CB CJ Henderson Undergoes Labrum Surgery, Meyer Impressed
While he is no longer a member of the Florida Gators, former standout collegiate cornerback CJ Henderson remains in the news as a member of the Jacksonville Jaguars, now headed up by former Florida head coach Urban Meyer.
In meeting with the media earlier today, Meyer was asked about Henderson and his future with the franchise, something that the former Florida headman feels is bright.
"I've spent some time with CJ -- my gosh is he talented," Meyer began. "I know Dan Mullen very well, coached him in college. He's an integral part of this. Obviously, you spend a high draft pick on him and a wonderful young man that dealt with some injury situations and missed some games near the end of the season."
One of the assets Meyer has had thus far in his rookie season as an NFL head coach has been his ability to speak with some of his former assistants about current or future members of the football team. Florida head coach Dan Mullen is certainly one of the many coaches Meyer has already reached out to, to gauge how talented a player is in assessing their potential future with the football team.
Last season, the Jaguars selected Henderson with the No. 9 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. He would go on to record his first, and only, interception of the season Week 1 against the Indianapolis Colts, the Jaguars' only victory in 2020. Due to a shoulder injury, Henderson was able to only play in eight games for Jacksonville last season.
He would go on to record 36 tackles (27 solos), six pass breakups and the aforementioned one interception on the year. While his rookie season saw some ups and downs, the former Florida cornerback did impress at times, illustrating just why he was so highly sought-after in last year's draft to begin with.
Now, he will continue his rehab at the Jaguars' facility, hoping to bring a standard to the team's secondary, one the Jaguars will hope to rely on moving forward. His contributions to the team will also be fruitful for future Gators recruits and current cornerbacks, setting an example for the Gator standard and earning the DBU title that fans have been yearning for, for years.
"But, he did have Labrum surgery, by the way, and everything came out fine - he's actually in here rehabbing today -, so we're counting on him."
