A quarterback's passer rating would be 39.6 if he threw each and every attempt into the dirt.
A quarterback's passer rating when throwing against Florida Gators cornerback C.J. Henderson isn't much better. 49.4, to be exact.
The highest passer rating a quarterback can post is a 158.3. So if you're throwing the ball towards C.J. Henderson, you're pretty much doing the same thing as spiking the ball at the snap, comparatively speaking.
The Gators rising junior along the boundary has grasped the attention of the nation as one of the most dominant cornerbacks in college football. Six interceptions, 11 defended passes, two forced fumbles, three sacks, and five tackles for loss on his standard box score have done enough to enter Henderson into 2020 NFL Draft first round discussion.
However, in-depth numbers do an even better job detailing how well Henderson shuts down receivers.
Pro Football Focus, which provided the above passer rating stat, also has Henderson down for allowing a receptions once every 19.1 coverage snaps: Only 18 receptions during the entire 2019 season, on 343 coverage snaps.
Oh, and zero touchdowns.
19.1 snaps per reception ranks 1st among all returning SEC cornerbacks with a minimum of 225 coverage snaps in 2018. This stat also ranks ahead of 2018 first round draft pick, former Georgia Bulldog Deandre Baker, as well as 2018 second round pick Lonnie Johnson Jr. from Kentucky.
Henderson also allowed 0.73 yards per coverage snap during the 2018 campaign, which measures out to almost 251 yards on the 18 allowed receptions. His completion percentage allowed was 50% on the dot.
All of these numbers are flashy, and they backup Henderson's legitimate case to be known as one of the best cornerbacks in the nation.
But how does he do it?
In today's film breakdown, we'll take a look at Henderson's most polished trait and how it makes his shut-down style of play so easy for him: His agility.
This film comes from a mix of YouTube-uploaded games, as well as my collection of All-22 tape.
One of Henderson's most impressive pass breakups on tape from the past season, we see exactly where agility comes into play and makes Henderson so special. His ability to accelerate (and in other cases to be seen later, decelerate) into his confirmed, best-in-2017-class 4.35 40 yard dash speed.
Henderson, who plays with an outside shade pre-snap, keeps his eyes on both the quarterback and the receiver's route in unison with a bit of a cushion. He processes the in-breaking route and accelerates, but first baits the QB into a throw due to his outside shade.
The passer tests the cushion, but Henderson's pure speed allows him to undercut the route and bat the ball away.
Quarterbacks know not to test C.J. Henderson in man coverage, and that can be seen here on an outside go-route. Michigan runs two 9-routes on the outside, with Henderson giving an inside shade to allow an outside release by the receiver. Whereas, Trey Dean III forces the outside release with great feet mirroring on an outside shade at the bottom of the clip.
Henderson allowed his receiver to get outside easy in comparison to Dean's impressive rep through his man-turn, yet QB Shea Patterson knew better than to test Henderson's ability to stick hip-to-hip from the second he completed his flip.
Another instance where Henderson flashes his ability to accelerate while processing the play ahead of him with ease. With a tight end working outside, causing linebacker Amari Burney to cross Henderson's face, Henderson's receiver utilizes the traffic to break inside with about five yards of separation from Henderson.
But no matter to C.J.: He reads this break through traffic and breaks down on the route, eliminating the cushion before the receiver can complete his head-turn back to Patterson. This agility paired with Henderson's processing makes a five-yard separation close all the more impressive.
Footwork mirroring is one of the most crucial aspects of cornerback technique that there is. Anyone can be athletic or physically gifted and utilize those abilities to make plays (like Henderson), but polished technique lifts a players' ceiling and ability to make plays to another level (also like Henderson).
As seen above (it would be a lot better if this was an All-22 play, but you can get the gist of things both at the start of the play and when Henderson re-emerges later with his man locked down), Henderson matches footwork with the receiver on an outside release perfectly.
Outside step-inside step-outside step-inside step to the boundary with his chest even with the receiver's, until the WR is forced to turn up field because he can't push outside any further without going out of bounds.
QB Joe Burrow doesn't even bother testing the left side following play-action, which is smart on his part: Henderson and his WR re-emerge on the screen, stuck like glue. No chance of a completion, even if Burrow threw his best ball.
Henderson mirrors well again, and now we get to see how he finishes a deep route. Up until the ball is within reach, Henderson remains intact with the receiver's hip. He gets his head around to track the ball - this naturally slows Henderson down a hair, but he maintains an arm-bar in front of the WR's waist to maintain sticky coverage.
From there, Henderson puts length on display. Even though he's slightly behind the ball, he stretches out with his outside arm to break the pass up. Henderson pairs his mirroring, hip-to-hip, and arm-bar technique with natural speed and length to create a spectacular pass breakup.
We've talked about Henderson's ability to accelerate throughout this profile: Now we see how his ability to decelerate is important as well.
Mirroring is on display once again, working against an inside release. But the receiver makes a break outside, and Henderson is forced to flip his body 180 degrees and work towards the boundary.
Keep in mind, Henderson was working up-field with his hips pointed inside from the 32 yard line up to the 40. With his ability to hit top-speed so quickly, Henderson was already moving with legit speed. Yet Henderson stops on a dime with an outside plant foot, and flips his hips outside with ease and maintains a closed cushion.
As seen by the three sacks and five tackles for loss added to his box score in 2018, Florida utilizes Henderson's agile traits beyond coverage. Henderson has been seen coming down to take on the run regularly, and rush the passer.
His lightning speed makes up for being the widest player to his side of the field, and he plants his outside foot well as he diagnoses which gap opens for his utilization. This results in a huge sack on a big stage in the Peach Bowl.
This dump-pass is completed at the 17 yard line, while Henderson gets all the way back to the 7. He plants his outside foot as the ball is released to the flats, and you already know that Henderson's pure speed wins here. Despite a 10 yard cushion at the windup, Henderson shoots down and halts this play for a mere four yard gain.
Henderson's agility comes in handy when he gets beat at the line of scrimmage in press coverage - a rarity, but nonetheless.
Henderson is a bit late to jam, which causes his arms to get underneath the receiver and the WR takes advantage with a push off to the outside. He separates to the front corner of the endzone on a fade route, but Henderson recovers with his elite speed and contests the ball. It's knocked loose, preventing a touchdown and forcing Michigan to kick a field goal.
Henderson mirrors an outside jab step, which allows receiver Emanuel Hall to separate inside and get open.
Hall, who shockingly went undrafted in the 2019 NFL Draft after being a projected mid-round pick, packs a ton of speed himself with a 4.39 40 yard dash. This initial loss by Henderson isn't necessarily a fault, but more an iron-sharpening-iron rep with Hall being speedy as well.
However, Henderson recovers with legitimate recovery speed and playing through the whistle. He utilizes his length gets his right arm into Hall's chest through the catch, despite being several yards behind at the top of the route. A fantastic recovery.
C.J. Henderson is known for his box score and ability to shut down receivers, carrying on the tradition that is "DBU" at the University of Florida.
Though, while six interceptions and 11 defended passes certainly puts Henderson on the NFL's radar as a potential first round pick, traits are what keep him there and force the argument of "best cornerback in the nation".
His speed, length, and technique are a defensive backs coach's dream. But more so, his ability to start and and stop on a dime, flip his hips and change direction, and hit top speed so swiftly is something the University of Florida hasn't had in a cornerback in a while.
Elite agility is what makes C.J. Henderson so special.
And what makes him a complete cornerback.
Statistics via Pro Football Focus, FloridaGators.com and Sports Reference.
