Elite 2027 LB Kaden Henderson Talks "Eye-Opening" Notre Dame Trip
Kaden Henderson’s latest visit to Notre Dame gave him a better feel for the program as his recruitment moves forward and gave the Irish a better chance at landing the elite 2027 Florida linebacker.
“It was amazing,” Henderson told Irish Sports Daily of his return visit to South Bend this past weekend. “It was definitely an eye-opening experience. I'm definitely excited to get back there on my OV June 19th.”
Head coach Marcus Freeman, linebackers coach Brian Jean-Mary and defensive coordinator Chris Ash all played a role in Henderson’s visit.
“I had an amazing time with Coach BJ, Coach Freeman, Coach Ash a little bit,” he said.
The staff laid out a vision for how the 6-foot-2, 218-pounder would fit their system similar to the role as current Irish linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa plays now.
“That I can learn many positions, get utilized in many different ways and how I'm a versatile player,” Henderson said of the message from the staff.
“A little bit as a traditional just off-the-ball linebacker, but they think that I can play Mike, Will, Sam and come off the edge a little bit.”
He also enjoyed the culture within the program.
“Just being around the whole staff, I feel like it was a family atmosphere,” he said. “Me and my family took away from that visit. I feel like it was just a great visit.”
Henderson’s relationship with Jean-Mary has been a key piece as the Irish worked through multiple coaching changes earlier in the process.
“Me and Coach BJ had a relationship when he was at Michigan,” he said. “He knew I wasn't going to Michigan.
“When Coach BJ got to Notre Dame, I feel like it was just rekindling and really just building back on that relationship we had when he was at Michigan. Ultimately, before he was even at Notre Dame, I feel like I had a great relationship with that whole staff, especially with Coach Freeman.”
The Jesuit High School standout now feels like the coaching staff is stable.
“I know they had a little uncertainty about who was going to be the linebacker coach after so many guys came in and came out,” he said. “I feel like with Coach BJ, I can see the stability there. I'm really just excited to keep getting to know them guys, the entire staff, really just building that connection.”
Freeman’s direct involvement in the recruitment also stood out during that stretch, signaling exactly how much of a priority he is for the program and the head coach specifically.
“He was telling me straight up, his job was going to be to hire the best they can find in the country,” he said. “That's what he did with Coach BJ. One of the best in the country.
“I feel like just knowing that Coach sees me as a priority, not just as a player, but as a young man, trying to develop me as a whole and not just the football aspect. And I think Coach BJ is the same exact thing.”
In addition to Notre Dame, Henderson is set to take official visits to LSU, Miami, Texas A&M, and Ohio State. He plans to make a decision in July after working through those trips.
The Tampa native is excited to return for his official to South Bend, even if he doesn’t have any specific questions.
“I don’t feel like there's much more I have to see,” he said. “It just seems like a place I can really see myself being at. I felt like it definitely helped Notre Dame a lot, just going to a visit that wasn't a game day.
“I really had a whole day, whole weekend really there, and I really just saw the full aspect of what Notre Dame can do for me and my family.”
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