Interview: 2022 All-State Arkansas LB Kaden Henley Covers Standout Championship Season
Written by Ryan Wright
Twitter: @RyanWrightRNG
Making the best of opportunities given separates the great from the forgotten. During the 2020 Arkansas high school football season, standout Class of 2022 linebacker Kaden Henley made the most of the time given on the field helping his Shiloh Christian squad to a 14-1 season with an emphatic 58-20 stamp put on the season in the 4A state championship game. Along the way, the 6-2.5, 225-pound, defender racked up 159 tackles, 106 solo, with 26 tackles for a loss, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, four interceptions, one defensive touchdown, and blocked three punts.
After the big season turned in, Henley was bestowed individual honors including All-Conference, All-Area, and All-State. Additionally, recruiting has picked up with interest flowing in from Arkansas, New Mexico, Lehigh, Akron, Rice, Yale, and Colorado School of Mines.
For a recap on his All-State season and a look at his offseason goals, Henley made another visit to the RNG Lab.
*Click link for Nov. 2020 RNG interview with Kaden Henley
Interview
Kaden, we last spoke at the midway point of the 2020 season for you and the Eagles before the team walked off the field in the championship game against Rivercrest with a 4A trophy. What was that moment like for you knowing all that hard work paid off achieving the ultimate team goal?
It was a good moment. It felt good, as you said, to achieve the ultimate goal. Losing last year in the championship game, felt good winning this year.
During that five-game run through the playoffs, going against tougher in-state competition, how did you step your game up at linebacker?
My pass coverage was better, I blocked three blocked punts after having none during the regular season, and I had some interceptions in the playoffs that helped my team.
Given the tougher competition, the defense stepped it up in a big way holding teams over the five games to an average of 8.2 per. How did the defense rally together to put their stamp on the championship season in the playoffs?
We didn’t want to go home, so we played hard, did our job, and trusted one another. We didn’t make many mistakes and had a great run.
At your inside linebacker position, you tore it up with 159 total stops, 106 solo. Have you received any individual postseason honors yet?
I got All-State, All-Area, and All-Conference.
Nice. Did your role on offense expand or become more frequent during the playoffs?
It stayed about the same, but I did have a couple of carries. We have great athletes that I can block for out of the backfield. If that is successful for the team, then I love it.
How were you able to contribute even more to the team’s success as that hard-nosed H-back/fullback for Shiloh Christian?
I had 45 pancakes and nine knockdowns with 300 all-purpose yards.
A repeat question from our previous talk; now that the season is over, what do you feel are the strengths to your overall game?
My physicality, understanding the game, and, like what I said last time, I am hard to block and I don’t miss tackles.
The championship game was on Dec. 19, I have a feeling you’ve already been back at it preparing for the 2021 season. What have you been doing so far?
Yes, sir. I am trying to become bigger, faster, and stronger. There is always something you can improve at.
What goals do you want to accomplish with your workouts over the winter months heading into the spring?
Our clean record at school is 330, I’m at 315. I’d like to break that. My squat is 425, I want to get it up to 475. My bench 275, I want to hit 300.
Kaden, congratulations on the great season turned in and on winning the state championship. Wishing you success this offseason preparing for your senior year.
Thank you, sir.
Photo credit: Henley family; Kaden Henley