There is nothing wrong with highlighting outstanding individual effort or proper technique from a high school/college football camp. However, when borderline praise is handed out for a clearly illegal play that wouldn’t stand with referees watching, that is something which is going to get called out every time.
In the clip below, Illinois native and defensive back prospect Tyrik Henderson is shown grabbing a receiver near the throat and back only to chokeslam the player to the ground. In case you are unaware, that’s not a legal play in football…
Incredibly, someone in the video gave Henderson some credit for making this “play” during the rep.
Things like this are not unusual in these camp settings but that’s in part why prospects should be going to them, so a coach can immediately convey why these things aren’t to be done and to teach proper technique. Apparently, no coach saw this one but video of the rep was shared showing off Henderson’s “physicality” on this illegal play. Perhaps the only thing that could have boosted Henderson’s “physicality” rating on this rep would have been an elbow drop after he dismissed his opponent to the turf.
Here’s the video of the rep:
To say 3-star DB Tyrik Henderson plays physically is an understatement… #FNL #Huskers pic.twitter.com/k2MRbeNS1U
— Kevin Sjuts (@kevinsjuts) June 23, 2018
The play didn’t go over very well with many of the people that saw it.
Texas A&M standout linebacker Tyrel Dodson was among the many that took exception to the clip:
You’re praising a kid for being physical? With absurd technique like that?
— Tyrel Dodson (@tdots25) June 24, 2018
what do y’all teach kids at these camps?
This is absolutely ridiculous. Good luck teaching/doing this in the SEC https://t.co/azah3mAcPe— Tyrel Dodson (@tdots25) June 24, 2018
Former NFL and college quarterback Sage Rosenfels also weighed in:
Don’t put clips up like this. You teach young kids that it’s cool to be an asshole. That’s not physical. It’s a penalty, it’s bad sportsmanship, and it’s immature.
— Sage Rosenfels (@SageRosenfels18) June 24, 2018
Play more with feet initial jam was good the choke slam not good…Real good receivers at the next level will not allow you to get them in that position as they are physical and good too..
— Dante Marsh (@dantemarsh) June 24, 2018
You can’t choke slam nobody in football especially a person without the ball
— Justin Hardee Sr. (@jhardee_19) June 24, 2018
Quit promoting this. This isnt real DB play
— Jorie Aulston (@JorieAulston) June 24, 2018
Hopefully, any negative attention Henderson catches for this video will teach him to correct his technique moving forward, which will in turn only help his stock as he eyes a potential college football career.
A graduate of the University of Tennessee, Michael Wayne Bratton oversees the news coverage for Saturday Down South. Michael previously worked for FOX Sports and NFL.com
