KJ Henry

Keith Jeremiah Henry (born January 27, 1999) is an American football defensive end for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Clemson Tigers and was selected by the Commanders in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL draft.

Early life
Henry was born on January 27, 1999, in Southern Ohio. His father Keith was an assistant coach under Jim Grobe on the Ohio Bobcats football team. Henry's family moved to Winston-Salem, North Carolina, in 2001. He attended West Forsyth High School in Clemmons, North Carolina, where he had 24 tackles for loss, 12 sacks, and 14 passes deflected as a senior for their football team in 2017. Rated a five-star recruit, he signed a National Letter of Intent to play college football for the Tigers at Clemson University.

College career
Henry played in four games for the Tigers as a freshman before redshirting. He played in all 15 of the Tigers' games as a redshirt freshman, making 22 tackles with two sacks. As a redshirt junior, Henry had 28 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, one forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. He earned a degree in sports communication in December 2020 before receiving a Master's Degree in athletic leadership in December 2021. Henry considered entering the 2022 NFL draft before opting to return to Clemson for a fifth season.

Professional career
Henry was selected by the Washington Commanders in the fifth round (137th overall) of the 2023 NFL Draft. He signed his four-year rookie contract on May 12, 2023.