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The world of football recruiting was introduced to Keisean Henderson last April as a charismatic multi-tool athlete clad in a Davy Crockett hat who was making waves on the offseason circuit. Almost a year later, and evidenced by Wednesday's 2026 Top247 update, Henderson has cemented himself as one of the nation's top quarterbacks.
A Houston commit from the Spring (Texas) Legacy, Henderson was confident in his ability to play quarterback at the next level. While many questioned his future and suggested that he'd be better suited as a defensive back or wide receiver, the 6-foot-3 1/2, 175-pounder went to work and proved that he had more to him than audacity.
Last April, 247Sports began to believe a future at quarterback was possible. As such, Henderson moved from wide receiver to athlete and ranked as the nation's No. 19 overall prospect. Willie Fritz at Houston was one of the first coaches to believe in Henderson's potential under center, and the Cougars went all in on landing him. As a junior, Henderson thrived as a passer and answered any further questions with an MVP performance during the 2025 Navy All-American Bowl.
Henderson showed his skills once again at Nike's Next Ones event in New Orleans during Super Bowl LIX weekend, and his progression throughout the spring earned him a bump in the newest Top247 rankings. Henderson is now a five-star prospect ranked fifth overall in the 2026 class. 247Sports removed the athlete tag from his position and named him as the nation's No. 2 quarterback, behind only No. 1 overall prospect Faizon Brandon.
After impressing as a passer at the 2024 Under Armour Houston camp, 247Sports began to make the case for Henderson as a quarterback. National scouting analyst Gabe Brooks was among the first to suggest that there may be no player with a higher ceiling at the position than Henderson. A year later, Brooks still feels strongly about that projection.
"The thesis of my Henderson-is-a-QB stance a year ago lies in his athletic upside at quarterback relative to other positions," Brooks said. "Make no mistake, Henderson could be a high-level prospect as an athlete. He could play receiver or some spot in the secondary, if not multiple. But in regards to verified athleticism, Henderson's data made him much more distinct as a long-term QB projection than a perimeter skill athlete, regardless of which side of the ball.
"In simpler terms, you can find similarly-framey, functionally-athletic receivers or safeties or boundary corners, but you are not going to have an easy time finding many quarterbacks who can match Henderson's athletic potential in the long run. Plus, a year ago, I think a lot of people were selling him short on his quarterbacking acumen. He has, no doubt, made sizable strides in position-specific categories since. But Henderson's sophomore season showed plenty in regards to his instincts, awareness, improvisational playmaking ability, etcetera.
"Sure, he might initially be a slower burn at the next level and beyond, but Henderson's long-term developmental potential is exceptional, considering physical tools, athleticism, proven playmaking ability and production."
Athletic traits aside, Henderson has a special combination of competitive energy and charisma needed to play the most important position on the field. He deftly walks the line between confidence and cockiness, but his infectious personality rubs off on everyone he comes across. For Houston, the chance to build a truly special class around a unique prospect like Henderson is something that the Cougars must cash in on.
(Photo: Andrew Ivins, 247Sports)
A player of his ability is someone who can attract other top prospects, but Henderson's blend of charismatic leadership and relationships with other prospects in the state of Texas is something to take capitalize on. Mental evaluations are such an important aspect for any prospect, and it can be argued they are of utmost value to quarterbacks. 247Sports national scouting analyst Hudson Standish observed Henderson in multiple settings over the last year and loves what Henderson has between the ears.
"I remember talking with Henderson early on in the evaluation process after he dominated a 7-on-7 event at wide receiver and defensive back and being struck by how determined he was about playing quarterback long-term," Standish said. "A fair amount of prospects with positional flexibility will say they want to play quarterback at the next level, but their approach to their own personal development and the game itself don't back it up. It never felt that way with Henderson, as you could see his improvements with every live exposure data point and game throughout his junior season.
"Behind the scenes as a scouting team, we've been talking about Henderson's eventual move from athlete to quarterback for nearly a year, and his week of work in San Antonio at the Navy All-American Bowl just cemented the move behind the scenes. Henderson's top-tier physical attributes and his sense for when to escape the pocket to make magic happen off schedule headline the evaluation. However, his mental makeup and competitive temperament are massive positives which at times can get a bit overlooked.
"One of my favorite stories throughout the week was Henderson commanding the room in an NBC production meeting, going down the list of every wide receiver in attendance and listing their strengths, weaknesses, and how he'd use that information to process information during the game itself. He mentioned 2025 Top247 wide receiver and his 7-on-7 teammate, Jalen Cooper (SMU), as somebody he knew he could count on at the third level of the field, and the two connected days later for the first score of the All-American Bowl on an 88-yarder.
"Early on in the evaluation process, Henderson's athletic upside, multisport markers and penchant for taking over offseason events while wearing a Davy Crockett cap dominated conversations. Now, in our eyes, he's entering the offseason leading up to his senior season as one of the best prep football players in the country."
The next few months for Henderson will be interesting. Though he's committed to Houston, other major programs have been in contact with him.