Tennessee football: Vols top 30 players since 1998 national championship

When you go to NFL talent, there are plenty of bigger names than John Henderson on here. Heck, Henderson’s teammate in 2000 up front, Albert Haynesworth, was more famous for his NFL career, mainly due to his drama.

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But people forget just how unstoppable Henderson was. He barely makes this list.

And the only reason it counts is because of the fact that despite being a member of the 1998 recruiting class, Henderson did not qualify to play due to academics. So he wasn’t able to partake in the success of the team.

Anybody who remembers him, though, remembers how he took the mantle from Al Wilson as the emotional vocal leader for Tennessee football and became a beloved star.

It all began when he had to fill in for Billy Ratliff, who went down in 1999 with an injury. That year, Henderson showed his potential as a 6-foot-7, 300-pound guy, who could run a 4.7 40-yard dash. He was beyond gifted.

And in the process, he accumulated four sacks, nine tackles for a loss, two pass breakups and 43 total tackles. The next year, though, with a new era under Phillip Fulmer set to begin, Henderson would explode onto the scene.

The freakishly athletic defensive lineman finished 2000 with 71 tackles, 21 tackles for a loss, two pass breakups, four forced fumbles, and three fumble recoveries. But what stood out is the fact that, as a defensive tackle, he was able to rack up 12 sacks. As a result of all this, Henderson was able to win the Outland Trophy.

As he won it, he announced that he would leave behind millions of dollars to come back for his senior season. By the way, this isn’t a quarterback from a wealthy family like Peyton Manning who did it. This is a defensive tackle sacrificing his career and the chance to make millions for his love of the Vols. That alone puts him above Eric Berry.

And in 2001, despite suffering a sprained ankle through half the year and drawing double teams, Henderson was STILL an All-American. He joined Haynesworth to form the greatest interior defensive line in college football history.

In the process, Henderson had 48 tackles, four and a half sacks, eight and a half tackles for a loss and three pass breakups. One pass breakup caused an interception that helped the Vols shock the Florida Gators in The Swamp for Henderson’s biggest win while playing for Rocky Top. He also recovered two fumbles that year.

Simply put, Henderson was everything for Tennessee football. Yes, the 2001 SEC Championship game cost him a ring, and Phillip Fulmer messed up by letting him and Travis Stephens fly up to New York for national awards presentation ceremonies the week of the game.

But that doesn’t change just how dominant he was. And while everybody remembers Haynesworth, don’t forget that Henderson had a 10-year NFL career, eight with the Jacksonville Jaguars and two with the Oakland Raiders, making two Pro Bowl appearances in the process.