Henderson headed to Miami (not the Heat)

For the record, I don't think LeBron James or Dwyane Wade had anything to do with this:

Seantrel Henderson, a prized offensive lineman considered by most analysts to be the nation’s top high school football recruit, and his father, Sean, said on Friday afternoon that he would attend the University of Miami in the fall.

Big win for Miami, especially after USC shocked me and everyone else when they released Henderson from his letter of intent, making him eligible immediately. Miami could be extremely good this year, but there isn't much experience or depth on the offensive line. The projected starter at right tackle is Jermaine Johnson, a four-star prospect a year ago but still just a redshirt freshman. Henderson will get a shot to start right out of the gate.

As for USC, this was just one part of a horrific week that I'll discuss more in a separate post. Losing a rotational defensive end (Malik Jackson) hurts, but losing a top-10 national prospect who might have started for three or four years is a killer. USC just won't have the scholarships to absorb that kind of loss a couple years down the road -- that's when they'll be the most desperate for elite starters, because there will be literally nothing behind them. With Henderson gone, there are only three O-linemen on the roster from the last two recruiting classes (two tackles and one center). Have fun with that in three years.

One last note: I give USC (read: Lane Kiffin) a little credit for manning up and letting Henderson walk after persuading him to sign by promising minimal NCAA sanctions. It would've been pretty lame to force an elite freshman to sit out a year just because he was smooth-talked into bed believing USC would get off light and didn't want to be part of a decimated team with no hopes of a national title.