A transfer from Nevada, Daiyan Henley moved from safety to linebacker upon his arrival to Washington State and blossomed into an instant starter with a nose for the football. Henley became the heart and should have the Cougar’s defense, playing his way into the PAC-12 leaders in most defensive statistical categories. Henley looks like a late-round pick who will draw concerns with his age.

Daiyan Henley

ILB – Washington State Cougars

HT: 6010
WT: 228
Year: Super Redshirt Senior
High School: Crenshaw (Los Angeles, CA)
Rating: 2-star (0.7667)

Projected Draft Grade: Potential Future Starter

Projection: 5th/7th Round

Daiyan Henley scouting notes

Pros:

• Doesn’t have great speed. Decent athlete. Lateral quickness is good, not great. 
• Decent body control, nothing overly special. Displayed some fine ability on a fake punt as the receiver against Washington. 
• Good upper body strength. 
• Good wrap up tackler. Controls the tackle pretty well. 
• Works well through space to make good plays. 
• Decent space defender – not great, but can close quickly. Typically a good reliable tackler. 
• Capable man coverage defender. Showed the ability to work decently against running backs.
• Decent play recognition. Shows good instincts. Typically found near the play. 

Cons:

• Average lower body strength. Doesn’t show a lot of explosiveness or anything crazy. 
• Doesn’t work through traffic well.
• Not a great blitzer. Struggles to time his rush through the line and when he is engaged, he is very limited in how he can get off of blocks and continue to rush the quarterback. 
• Age will be a concern – he spent six years in college and isn’t a step-in starter. Offers limited upside.