It’s no secret the Washington Commanders could use some help at linebacker. Drafting a linebacker in the first round is not an option for Washington, having spent a first-rounder on Jamin Davis in 2021.
With Cole Holcomb coming off an injury and heading into free agency, the Commanders could look to the 2023 NFL draft to find his replacement — or eventual replacement if Washington re-signs him.
The Reese’s Senior Bowl is a good place for NFL coaches to find talented players who have not been on the radar before their week in Mobile, Alabama.
Washington State linebacker Daiyan Henley is one of those players who made himself some money this week.
The 6-foot-0, 230-pounder spent his first five collegiate seasons at Nevada, where he was a teammate of current Washington tight end Cole Turner. However, Henley transferred to Washington State for his final season, and it paid off.
Henley finished his 2022 season with 106 tackles, including 12 for loss, four sacks and one interception. At this week’s Senior Bowl, Henley stood apart from other linebackers, winning every matchup and separating himself with his coverage skills.
Watch Henley in coverage here:
Washington State LB Daiyan Henley with a really nice rep here to force the incompletion pic.twitter.com/f0lEAEe5hN
— Jack Brentnall (@Jack_Brentnall) February 2, 2023
Here he is again:
Daiyan Henley has had a very underrated week, especially in coverage pic.twitter.com/EfF5VyZAOD
— Joe DeLeone (@joedeleone) February 2, 2023
Henley was mostly considered a day-three pick entering this week’s Senior Bowl festivities. However, after his performance throughout practice all week, Henley should firmly be in the mix on day two.
Here’s what Eric Edholm and Lance Zierlein of NFL.com said about Henley’s week.
Henley has already forced a grade change from yours truly with his play in the first two days of practice, and NFL scouts might be making similar adjustments. He moves around the field with an alpha demeanor, but his ability to match up with running backs in coverage really stood out. The wideout-turned-linebacker showed off his lateral twitch and ball skills to hound the route and squeeze the catch point. The ability to play well on all three downs is a huge advantage for linebackers on draft day, and Henley showed off that ability on Wednesday.
Henley is the type of linebacker Washington needs. Pair him with Davis, and no one could question the team’s speed at linebacker in 2023. The Commanders have had trouble covering running backs and tight ends in recent years. Henley could be exactly what Jack Del Rio’s defense needs to take the next step.
