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Friday, April 20
Henson has 'star power' in football
By Mel Kiper
ESPN.com
With Drew Henson deciding to take the money and play baseball full-time with the Yankees, the Michigan quarterback is giving up on the potential of being the first overall pick in the 2002 NFL draft to the fledgling Houston Texans.
|  | | Playing for the Yankees, Michigan QB Drew Henson wouldn't have to worry about being sacked -- but dodging beanballs is a distinct possibility. |
Henson displayed enough ability for the Wolverines to be a franchise-type quarterback in the NFL. He has tremendous size and arm strength. He is very athletic and can move around and throw the ball on the move. Henson was never a starter until last season. And considering his lack of experience, he did everything last season you could have asked of a quarterback.
Early in the season, Henson suffered an injury that forced redshirt freshman John Navarre to take over at quarterback. Henson's decision will be a huge loss to the Michigan program. But coach Lloyd Carr has to feel very good about having Navarre, after the way he played last season. Navarre proved he can get the job done in the Big Ten. He's a nice insurance policy now that Henson is leaving.
Henson has always said his dream was to play for the Yankees. From what I understand, being traded to the Reds last season didn't sit well with him because he had his heart set on the Yankees. But in baseball, players have to be realistic about their expectations and their talent level. Baseball and football are two different ballgames. In football, there are tangible results, and an athlete has a better idea what he can do at the next level. If a college player puts up big numbers, he can go to the NFL as a high pick. In baseball, a player is guaranteed the money and carries high expectations, but he has yet to prove anything.
The player may have shown he can hit pitching at the minor-league, college or high school level. But when he gets to the majors, players will suddenly hit a wall and, for example, can't hit a curveball. The prime example is Josh Booty, who initially chose baseball over football but couldn't perform at the major-league level.
Along with Booty, who returned to play at LSU, look at the former baseball players who came back to football – Chris Weinke, Quincy Carter and even former NFL quarterback Jay Schroeder. Booty had the largest signing bonus ever given to an athlete out of high school. He got the money, but in the end, it stymied his growth as a quarterback when he went to LSU.
Even though Henson has chosen to play for the Yankees, he could come back and play in the NFL if his baseball career doesn't works out. But his ability to play in the NFL would depend on how long he is away from the game and how much rust he has to shake off. That's what Henson has to assess. To give up football to play Major League Baseball, he must know in his mind if he will be Cal Ripken Jr. or Josh Booty?
Nobody knows how good Henson will become as a baseball player until he stands at the plate against pitchers like Pedro Martinez, Randy Johnson or Greg Maddux. It's one thing to be a prospect who is guaranteed top dollar. It's another thing to be a star.
Henson has star power in football. As the quarterback at Michigan and then potentially as the first overall pick, he would be giving up an awful lot. He could have made history as the first pick ever of the Houston Texans, and nobody could ever have taken that away from him.
If Henson busts out in baseball over the next four or five years, who knows what would have become of his football career? Send this story to a friend | Most sent stories
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ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. compares Drew Henson's situation to other athletes who selected baseball over football.