MORE HEADLINES - Position trends: Offense | PODCAST: Staying home in bowl season and a recruiting update | Could Pitt be in line to flip an SEC commit after hosting him for an official visit? | New cornerback offer plans two official visits
Pitt will have fewer returning receiver in 2018, as Quadree Henderson announced Monday he will forego his final year of eligibility and enter the NFL Draft.
Henderson leaves the Panthers after three active seasons. He appeared in nine games as a freshman in 2015 but was one of the breakout stars in the ACC and the nation last season. Henderson was the centerpiece of Matt Canada’s jet sweep game, rushing 60 times for 635 yards and five touchdowns to finish as Pitt’s second-leading receiver.
On top of that, he flourished on special teams. Henderson scored touchdowns on four kickoff returns and one punt return to lead the nation in return scores. He also added 286 yards and another touchdown on 26 receptions and he ranked No. 11 nationally in all-purpose yards, averaging 160.23 yards per game.
His total of 2,083 all-purpose yards was second in Pitt history to only Tony Dorsett, who had 2,217 during his Heisman Trophy year in 1976. For his efforts, Henderson was a consensus All-American and the first All-America return man in Pitt history. He was also named to the All-ACC first team as a kick returner and an all-conference honorable mention as a receiver.
Entering 2017, Henderson was expected to build on his performance as a runner and returner but also add an extra weapon to the passing game beyond what he did in 2016. That didn’t materialize, though. Henderson’s receiving numbers dropped this past season, as he caught just 17 passes for 186 yards, and he wasn’t as effective - due to a variety of factors - in the rushing attack either, averaging 6.97 yards per carry and failing to score an offensive touchdown.
Henderson did reach the end zone twice on punt returns, but his all-purpose average was 100.3 yards per game - down 60 yards from what it was a year ago. He was named to the All-ACC second team as a return specialist and an all-conference honorable mention as a specialist.
Henderson is the third Pitt receiver to leave early in the last 10 years. Tyler Boyd declared for the NFL after catching 91 passes for 926 yards and nine touchdowns in 2015; he was a second-round pick of the Cincinnati Bengals. And Jonathan Baldwin left after catching 53 passes for 822 yards and five touchdowns in 2010; he was a first-round pick of the Kansas City Chiefs.
