E.J. Henderson

Games and Starts

75 games/58 starts

Professional Biography

Steadily improving defender played best span of his career prior to the 2007 season in the final 8 games of 200...Moved to WLB in 2005 after Vikings acquired veteran MLB Sam Cowart...Stepped into starting MLB spot in 2004 in his 2nd season…Made presence felt immediately as a rookie on special teams, going on to lead team with 27 tackles…Selected with the 40th overall choice in the 2003 NFL Draft…Was the 3rd LB taken in the draft after Oregon State’s Nick Barnett (29th-Green Bay) and Georgia’s Boss Bailey (34th-Detroit)…First player the Vikings have drafted from the University of Maryland…Winner of the 2002 Butkus Award, presented to the top collegiate LB.

NFL History

•    Led Vikings with career-best 155 tackles in 2007.
•    Has led the Vikings in tackles in 3 of the past 4 seasons - 2007, 2006 and 2004.
•    Made move from WLB to MLB in 2007, a position he had not played since 2004.
•    Led or tied for the Vikings lead in tackles 12 times during the 2007 team.
•    Earned votes on 2007 Associated Press All-Pro team and was recognized as a Pro Bowl alternate.
•    Had career-best 4.5 sacks in 2007 and teamed with fellow LB Ben Leber to post the 2nd-most by a LB duo in Vikings history with 9.5 behind the 1995 tandem of Ed McDaniel and Jack Del Rio’s 10.5.
•    Sacked Todd Collins vs. Washington (12/23), giving him 4.5 sacks in 2007, nearly matching his 4-year career sack total of 5.0 entering the 2007 season.

College Information

Consensus All-America as a junior and senior...Winner of the Butkus Award (nation's top linebacker) and Bednarik Trophy (top college defender) as a senior...Finished his college career with 473 tackles, 62.5 tackles for loss, 17.5 sacks...His 473 tackles are second only to Eric Wilson's 481 (1981-84) on the Terps' career-record list...Holds the school record with 62.5 tackles for loss in his career.

2002 Consensus All-America and unanimous All-ACC 1st-team selection...Winner of the Butkus Award and Bednarik Trophy...Named National Defensive Player of the Year by the NFL Draft Report...Team Most Valuable Player...Named ACC Defensive Player of the Year...Started all 14 games...Led the team in tackles for the third straight season with 175...Recorded 8.5 sacks, 19.5 tackles for loss, and 8 QB hurries...Added 2 interceptions, 4 passes defensed, and 3 forced fumbles...Posted 16 tackles and a forced fumble vs. Notre Dame...Had a 12-yard INT return and a sack vs. Akron...Collected 15 tackles, a sack, and 2 tackles for loss vs. Wofford...Recorded 15 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and 3 tackles for loss at West Virginia...Posted 16 tackles and 2 tackles for loss vs. N.C. State...Made 19 tackles at Virginia...Had 19 tackles for the second week in a row vs. Wake Forest and added a sack which caused a fumble that resulted in a safety...Also had 2 tackles for loss and an INT for Wake Forest...Closed out his career with 12 tackles, 2 sacks, a forced fumble, and a pass defensed vs. Tennessee in the Peach Bowl.

2001 Became Maryland's first consensus All-America 1st-team choice since J.D. Maarleveld in 1985...All-ACC 1st-team pick and became only the fourth Terp to win ACC Player of the Year honors...One of three finalists for the Butkus Award...Led the ACC in tackles with 150 and tackles for loss with 28...His 28 tackles for loss set a school record, breaking the old mark of 24 set by Randy White in 1974...Played in all 11 games with 10 starts...Led the team with a career-high 20 tackles at N.C. State and added a sack, 3 tackles for loss, and a forced fumble...Recorded 17 tackles, 2 sacks, 4 tackles for loss, and an INT vs. Clemson...Posted 10 tackles, 1 sack, 2 tackles for loss, and a blocked punt vs. Troy State...Registered 18 tackles and scored the game's first TD on a 36-yard fumble recovery at Georgia Tech...Recorded 18 tackles and a sack vs. West Virginia...Led the team with 17 tackles and 3 tackles for loss at Wake Forest...Made 8 tackles and assisted on a sack vs. Florida in the Orange Bowl.

2000 Started all 10 games in which he played...Led the team and finished 7th in the ACC with 109 tackles...Was 2nd on the team with 13 tackles for loss...Added 2 sacks, 6 QB hurries, 4 passes defensed, and recovered a fumble...Recorded a season-high 18 tackles in the season finale vs. Georgia Tech with 2 tackles for loss...Posted 13 tackles and a sack vs. Temple...Had 11 tackles at West Virginia and at Virginia...Made 16 tackles and 2 tackles for loss at Duke.

1999 Played in all 11 games as a redshirt freshman...Spent most of the season as a backup but made late-season starts at Florida State and vs. Virginia...Recorded 39 tackles, 1 sack, and 2 tackles for loss on the year...Posted 11 tackles at Florida State...Made 7 stops in season finale vs. Virginia...Also had 9 tackles vs. North Carolina.

1998 Redshirted as a freshman.

Personal Biography

Active in the Twin Cities community through the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board…Earned a degree in criminology and criminal justice in spring 2002...Avid movie fan and enjoys playing basketball in his free time...Attended same high school as Baltimore Oriole legend Cal Ripken, Jr…Younger brother, Erin, is on the Maryland football team…A 4-year starter at Aberdeen (MD) High School who played on 4 league championship teams…PrepStar All-America selection and honorable mention All-America by USA Today…Started at MLB/RB his final 3 seasons after starting at OLB as a freshman…Nominated to play in the Chesapeake Classic all-star game and Mason-Dixon Shrine Classic…All-County selection in basketball.