Michigan Football: A.J. Henning to bring electrifying ability to Wolverines

Michigan football fans finally got the good word on A.J. Henning Wednesday afternoon as he announced his commitment to the Wolverines.

When Michigan football named Josh Gattis as the new offensive coordinator it generated a lot of excitement, not only among fans but among recruits too.

And one recruit that is an ideal fit for the offense, A.J. Henning, made his commitment to Michigan football official Wednesday, as he announced his pledge on Twitter after visiting the school last weekend.

Henning is the first true wide receiver to commit to the Wolverines as part of the 2020 class, although Eamonn Dennis, a three-star athlete is expected to play in the slot. Yet, in terms of commitments, they don’t get much bigger than Henning, who was the top target left for UM.

While Henning ranks 80th overall in the 2020 class according to the 247 sports composite rankings, he is also the 16th-best wide receiver and the top player in the state of Illinois. He’s 5-foot-10, runs the 40 in 4.46 and is projected by Allen Trieu of 247 sports to someday be a second-round pick in the NFL draft.

Trieu compares Henning to Tarik Cohen of the Chicago Bears and when it comes to impact receivers in 2020, few are in his class. Here is what his 247 scouting evaluation said:

"Great burst and acceleration and can score from anywhere on the field. Very good hands. Catches the ball well away from his body and shows the ability to go up and catch passes that are above his head. Good lower body strength and will break tackles. More of a kid that will run past defenders than a make-you-miss in a phone booth guy. Shows some elusiveness after the catch. Versatile and can play in the backfield, slot or as an outside receiver. A true home-run threat and one of the more electric players in his class."

Henning is now the top-ranked commit for the Wolverines in 2020, who moved up from the No. 23 recruiting class last Saturday to No. 9 right now. The addition of the four-star wideout also means Michigan will get the top player in Illinois for two straight years, as J.J. McCarthy, Henning’s friend and five-star quarterback, is also committed to the Wolverines out of Illinois.

In addition to being a great fit with the Wolverines, Henning could be joining the team at a perfect time in the fall of 2020. Donovan-Peoples Jones, Nico Collins and Tarik Black are all eligible to go to the NFL draft after 2019 and if any of them leave, Henning would be a tremendous replacement.

Yet, even if those guys are still around, Henning would be a perfect compliment because he is a different kind of receiver. Mike Sainristil is most similar to Henning and having those two guys, along with Giles Jackson, Cornelius Johnson and whoever remains out of Peoples-Jones, Collins and Black should give Michigan one of the top wide receiver groups in the nation.

In addition to calling plays at UM and being the co-offensive coordinator at Alabama last season, Gattis coaches wide receivers and is known for developing them. In Henning, you can see an elite prospect and under the direction of Gattis, the sky is the limit for the 2020 wideout.