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A.J. Henning is one of Michigan’s fastest players. He’s a receiver who’s carried the football on end arounds and jet sweeps, someone that can return kicks and punts.
Doing it all is something that Henning embraces, and Michigan surely looks to use him in creative ways that showcase his unique skill set.
“I feel like I have the versatility to play all over, be put in different positions,” Henning said on Thursday. “Whatever position I can be put in to help the team, and ultimately put myself in successful matchups, and the offenses successful matchups.”
Henning is just scratching the surface after a 2021 season where he returned a kick for a touchdown, rushed for 162 yards with two scores, and had 10 receptions for 79 yards.
When it comes to the type of player Henning models his game after he told The Wolverine’s Clayton Sayfie it’s San Francisco 49ers electric playmaker Deebo Samuel, who can run, catch, return with the best of them.
“I like the versatility of Deebo Samuel, his role of being placed all over the field, obviously guys like Tyreek Hill, who are speedsters,” Henning said. “Deebo Samuel is a unique talent that you sort of see that level of football, that position being modeled into the NFL level. Just being versatile, being able to be put in different positions, different matchups is huge. And I feel like that’s what I bring to the game, versatility.”
A.J. Henning can put on the burners #GoBlue 〽️ pic.twitter.com/OASpNkKTU9
— TheWolverine.com (@TheWolverineOn3) September 18, 2021
Henning feels he can do more in 2022, it sounds like 2021 was just a taste of what he can do.
“I feel like my game is very versatile, I can line up really everywhere, get put in matchups that can help,” Henning said.
Henning’s utilization will be vast and varied, and in turn it’ll keep defenses guessing and honest. Henning in motion will confuse defenses — will he motion into the backfield? Will he motion out of the backfield and line up at slot receiver? Will he be taking the jet sweep or will it be a fake? These are just some of the questions the opposition will be asking when Henning suits up on Saturdays.