Being the son of a football coach, leading is in K.J. Henry’s blood. That is why Clemson’s defensive end is always wanting to help and teach his teammates everything he knows. It is just a natural instinct for him.

“I feel like I have been a leader since I have been here in some fashion or another,” Henry said.

This season, Henry is leading even more, especially with so many young players on the Tigers’ defensive line. Guys like Myles Murphy, Tre Williams, DeMonte Capehart and Bryan Bresee are talented players, but not a single one of them has taken a college snap, and in the dog days of summer or through the hot days and evenings of fall camp, they are looking for guidance and assurance they are doing what they need to do correctly.

That is where veteran players like Henry, Xavier Thomas, Justin Foster, Nyles Pinckney and Jordan Williams are doing their best to lead and be a positive influence on their younger counterparts.

“My leadership role has definitely grown this year. I am starting to see that, and I am loving it,” Henry said. “I am loving the influence I am having on the guys. I feel like they respect me and respect what I do out there, so I am just trying to give back and really just teach what I have been taught.”

What Henry has been taught is how to be patient and how to be a productive player and teammate. He redshirted in 2018, at his own request, after playing in four games. Last year, he was a reserve defensive end, playing in 15 games, while tallying 22 tackles, including 4.5 tackles for loss and two sacks.

Henry carried last year’s experiences into the off-season, spring and then camp, where head coach Dabo Swinney has called him one of the more consistent players they have had this summer. At 6-foot-4, 250-pounds, Henry has put himself in position to be a starter when Clemson opens the season a week from Saturday at Wake Forest.

But more importantly to Henry, he has put himself in more of a position to be a leader with his actions both on and off the football field.

“I definitely feel like my leadership role has grown this year for sure,” he said.

And so too has Henry.

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