The South Carolina football program has put together one of their top recruiting classes in recent years for the 2023 recruiting cycle. While the recruiting rankings are ever-changing, according to industry leaders on3 and 247Sports, Shane Beamer and company have found themselves firmly inside the top-20 since the Early Signing Period ended.
One of the players in this class is ATH Kelton Henderson, who signed with South Carolina during the Early Signing Period.
Position: ATH (WR, RB, DB)
Recruiting Ranking: 4 Stars (ESPN); 3 Stars (on3, 247, Rivals); Under Armour All-American
Measurables: 5’11.5; 175 pounds; 4.54 second 40-yard dash; 4.39 second short shuttle
Former Player Comp: Ace Sanders
Kelton Henderson is the typical twitchy athlete from south Florida. Typical is not used as a slight; if anything, it is a compliment as south Florida is known for its explosive playmakers, a moniker rightly earned by Henderson. While he does not possess absolute top end speed (4.54 40-yard dash), Henderson never gets caught from behind. Where he makes life miserable for defenders, however, is with his elite wiggle and vision as a ball carrier. On film, rarely was a tackler able to wrangle Henderson without help, and with blockers in front of him, he showed off his vision by directing his convoy and running patiently behind them.
Likely finding his home at wide receiver, Henderson profiles as a slightly taller version of Gamecock fan favorite Ace Sanders. Sanders was a good receiver for the Gamecocks and made some occasional contributions in the running game but was one of the country’s best punt returners during his college tenure. Henderson almost assuredly will be a special teams asset for the Gamecocks, perhaps even before he is ready to contribute on offense.
His slight build (175 pounds) should not be a long-term concern as it will be addressed by Strength Coach Luke Day and Football Nutrition Director Kristin Coggin from the moment he steps on campus. Despite not being the biggest player on the field, Henderson showed a willingness to play with physicality as he routinely ran behind his pads and through tacklers at the high school level. On defense, he was a willing tackler, something Special Teams Coordinator Pete Lembo looks for in coverage team players.
A prospect with a high ceiling, no Gamecock fan should be surprised to see Kelton Henderson making explosive plays for the Gamecocks over the next several seasons.