Hunter Henry: The Rookie That is Quietly Dominating
In a year where two rookies from Dallas are taking the NFL by storm, former Hog tight end Hunter Henry is quietly bursting onto the scene.
If you turn the T.V. onto any NFL coverage, chances are you will hear all about Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliot and what they are doing in Dallas. The two have taken over and they are setting all kinds of records in their rookie season. What you probably won’t hear is that a rookie from Little Rock, Arkansas is having his own breakout rookie season.
Hunter Henry, a former Arkansas Razorback tight end, was amazing during his time in college. His last season in Razorback red, he dropped a total of zero passes. He was clutch in every sense of the word. He also will have a moment in Hog history named after him when he caught a ball on a 4th and 25 in double overtime then lateraled it back about 15 yards to keep the play alive and allowed Alex Collins to get the crucial first down. It is known as the “Hunter Heave.”
In 2016, Henry was drafted by the Sand Diego Chargers in the 2nd round as the 35th pick. Since then, he has proven he is still really good at this football thing. Though the Chargers being 5-9 has kind of buried the body of work that Hunter is doing.
Leading the Way
Just like his days as a Razorback, Henry is already proving he is still just as clutch under pressure. As of today, he leads all other NFL tight ends in touchdowns with a current total of 7. His first touchdown didn’t even come until game four against the Saints when the Chargers fell by one point.
More from Razorbackers
- Nike’s latest Arkansas Razorbacks shoes are a must-have
- Believe it or not, Arkansas football has never played these FBS teams
- Arkansas vs UConn Prediction and $1,000 BetMGM Promo
- Arkansas vs. UConn, NCAA Tournament Sweet 16: How to watch, odds, predictions
- When was the last time Arkansas won the NCAA Tournament? (Odds to win March Madness)
As far as rookie rankings, Hunter is just dominating. He leads in total yards at 435 with 32 receptions. His longest of the season and longest of any rookie is 59 yards. He leads rookies in 1st downs, in 20+, and receptions. As of right now he is second in his average yards per reception with 13.6 but is right back at number one for yards per game at 33.5.
If the Chargers need to pick up a first down in the enemies territory, Henry should be their go-to guy. From the opponents 49-20 yard line, he has 7 receptions, 103 yards, 7 first downs, and averages 14.7 yards per play. His receptions in the opposing team’s field position are all either first downs or touchdowns. Same goes with the 19-1 yard line. He has 8 receptions, 71 yards, averages 8.1 yards and has 8 first downs.
A Bigger Stage for a Bigger Game
Henry is doing really great things but he’s just on a team that isn’t really great. The truth is if Hunter Henry were doing this in Dallas, he would be included in what would probably be the all-time greatest rookie trio on one team ever. Sadly, he is not. Hunter Henry is solid, clutch, reliable, and to be frank, is on the wrong team for his talent level.
Now, if you’re a Chargers fan and you’re about to send me hate tweets at @ChrisJacksonWPS, slow down. What I am saying is that realistically, if Henry were on the Dallas roster or even a few other teams right now, his performance would be talked about quite a bit more.
Horns Down: Arkansas Fan Tyzilla Reacts To The Win Over Texas
I do, however, hope that Henry has a very successful career with the Chargers and that they get better as a whole, so he can really shine. More than anything, though, I really hope he gets traded to Dem Boys! Woo pig!