FAB 2. HENDRICKSON SHINED AT SHRINE GAME PRACTICES
Without question the best player at the East-West Shrine practices was Florida Atlantic defensive end Trey Hendrickson, who was featured as one of PewterReport.com’s top 10 defensive players to watch at the college all-star game in St. Petersburg, Fla. The 6-foot-4, 255-pound Hendrickson was virtually unblockable in practice. There wasn’t an offensive tackle that could hang with him one-on-one. The East coaching staff had to double-team him with a tight end after the first two days – just to get passing plays off.

FAU DE Trey Hendrickson – Photo courtesy of FAU

The Buccaneers, who could use another pass rusher, were at the East-West practices in full force this week. Defensive line coaches Jay Hayes and Paul Spicer watched Hendrickson. Linebackers coach Mark Duffner interviewed him after Wednesday’s practice. Tampa Bay’s scouts interviewed him back at the team hotel.

The Bucs were not alone. Everybody wanted a piece of Hendrickson, who recorded a school-record 29 sacks along with 42 tackles for loss, eight forced fumbles and two forced fumbles as a three-year starter. Everybody – except for opposing offensive linemen, that is.

The East coaches decided to spice up practice on Wednesday and challenged five defensive linemen to go against five offensive linemen in one-on-one pass rush drills during the middle of practice. The offensive line won three out of the first four reps and was declared the winner.

Hendrickson, who was lined up at right defensive end as the fifth and final rusher, was dismayed and called out the East coaches for not getting a turn. He then proceeded to yell at Vanderbilt left tackle William Holden and challenged him to a one-on-one.

“I was excited and pumped up because we got five rushers and five opportunities to win,” Hendrickson said. “They went down the line and it didn’t go our way. They wanted to call the drill and I said, ‘No way!’ There was no way I wasn’t going to get a shot. There was no way I wasn’t going to go. So I called the guy out from Vanderbilt, and I didn’t think he was going to back down from a challenge, so I knew I had a win-win there. I knew I had him. Coach said, ‘Okay, double or nothing.’ I pinned my ears back, gave him my best head fake inside because I had been rushing hard inside all week, which froze him, and then blew by him to the outside. The win was ours.”

If there is one word to describe Hendrickson it is “competitor.” Wednesday’s impressive win during the one-on-one pass rush session – and how it came to be with Hendrickson issuing a challenge – was exactly what the Bucs and other NFL teams wanted to see on the field.

Off the field, Hendrickson was just as impressive in interviews where he told NFL scouts how he wanted to go to a school to make his mark and become a legend, not just be another defensive end at a school that has had great pass rushers roll through there before.

“At FAU, that’s where I wanted to play ball,” Hendrickson said. “It’s not the most popular school, but I fell in love with it. I will always bleed navy and red. I played football and I know how to rush the passer. They gave me a great opportunity to do that there. They had records I could break.

“I wanted to leave a legacy at a school. I didn’t want to have any regrets. Day to day I would tell myself to give it my all every rep, every practice because when I look back after I hang my pads up for the last time I didn’t want to be the guy that says, ‘Woulda, coulda, shoulda.’ I know when I go to bed that I left everything on the practice field. I feel like everybody should play this way, but I know it’s not like that. To each his own, but I know how I’m going to play ball.”

Not only did his 29.5 sacks set an Owls record, Hendrickson’s 13 sacks and five forced fumbles as a junior also set FAU records.

“I didn’t get the recognition I deserved, but I’m at the East-West Shrine Game, which is a blessing coming from a smaller school,” Hendrickson said. “I’m showing it’s not just Conference USA that I can rush against. I can rush against anyone in the country.”

He proved he could register sacks at FAU against big-name schools and had two sacks and blocked extra point in a 20-14 overtime loss at Florida in 2015. Hendrickson also had a sack at Kansas State and notched two over NFL Draft prospect Forrest Lamp from Western Kentucky, including one this year en route to recording 9.5 sacks and 15 tackles for loss as a senior.

What really stood out to NFL scouts was Hendrickson’s work ethic and leadership ability. After a breakout junior season he became one of most well respected Owls and was selected as a team captain as a senior.

“Before the season we, as team captains, came up with a rule that we can’t drink alcohol during the week,” Hendrickson said. “It should be that way anyway. The fun part, to make it competitive, is that we can’t drink all weekend if we lose. It should be that way – no celebrations if we lose. So we had a dry season going 3-9 this year, but I have no regrets. I kept my body healthy. Everybody wants to win and wants to have fun, but you’ve got to earn it.”

Hendrickson’s body of work at FAU earned him an invite to the 2017 NFL Scouting Combine in February where he plans on showing that he’s more athletic than he’s been given credit for.

“I can run a 4.6 I believe,” Hendrickson said. “I believe with proper training I can get there. I’m excited about running at the Combine.”

While I was walking off the field with Hendrickson after the edge rusher put on a show during Wednesday’s practice, Duffner came up to him and asked him what Bucs linebacker Adarius Glanton, a former Owls teammate, would say about him.

“He would say I’m egotistical,” Hendrickson said. “He knew me when I was a little bit of a ‘I’m the best’ kind of guy. Hey, I was the best and I let everyone know I was the best. I love that guy and he’s a heck of a fisherman. He’s a monster. If there was a guy in college that I looked at and said, ‘Wow’ it was Adarius.”

Hendrickson, who led the nation with four blocked kicks in 2016, would be happy to play anywhere in the NFL, but playing close to his Central Florida home by being drafted by the Bucs would be special.

“I would love to play with a FAU guy again,” Hendrickson said. “I love Adarius Glanton and what he stands for. He’s a hell of a fisherman and he’s got a great beard.

“Growing up in Orlando, my dad was a fan of the Bucs and some of the other Florida teams, not so much Miami, though. It would be fun to play there. Anything I can do to help the Bucs win, man, I’d be willing to do.”

It’s hard not to like Hendrickson on and off the field. He definitely made some money in St. Petersburg this week, and he definitely would look good in red and pewter as a Day 3 selection as a young defensive end that could help Tampa Bay’s pass rush.