Robert Henry Jr. started his final season at the University of Texas at San Antonio with a strong statement. The fifth-year senior exploded out of the gates with 177 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries, including a 75-yard touchdown run in the season opener versus Texas A&M. The performance put Henry on the national map and is worth an early look at the highlights.
Henry Jr. would go on to have a dominant year, totaling 1,045 rushing yards and nine touchdowns on 151 carries, averaging 6.9
yards per attempt. He recorded five rushes of 70-plus yards in 2025, which was three more than any other FBS player at that time, and tacked on an additional 118 receiving yards with two touchdowns through the air. Robert was named a first-team All-American Athletic Conference and was a Doak Walker Award semifinalist.
This was not the only season for Robert Henry Jr. to produce big numbers. After a modest freshman year (495 yards, six touchdowns) at Jones College in Ellisville, Mississippi, Henry led the entire NJCAA in rushing as a sophomore with 1,302 yards and 18 scores, earning the Walter Jones Trophy and NJCAA Offensive Player of the Year. His first FBS season at UTSA brought 588 yards and a team-high 11 touchdowns on 127 carries, including a two-score day in the Frisco Bowl to seal the program’s first bowl win.
How did Henry Jr. deliver this type of production? Through the use of plus vision and quick-twitch burst in his running along with ankle flexibility and hip bend to redirect without losing speed as outlined in his draft profile from NFLDraftBuzz. Robert also exhibits quick acceleration and gets up to top speed in a hurry. When met with defenders at the line of scrimmage, the shifty back has a good jump-cut that allows him to get lateral in a hurry to avoid would-be tacklers. The ability to change direction on a dime makes him elusive, and Robert forced 33 missed tackles last year.
While the production is impressive, there are several reasons the 5-foot-9, 196-pound running back went undrafted, with the aforementioned lack of size being one of them. Age is another, as Robert will turn 25 before the end of the year. While he has some receiving ability, the former Roadrunner is not great or consistent in pass protection, and his lack of size/strength limits his ability to stone blitzing linebackers. The tailback also has a tendency to want to bounce runs outside too early before blocks can develop. Additionally, with six fumbles over three seasons, ball security is a concern. Robert did not test very well at the Combine, and while his explosion numbers are good, his speed and agility testing doesn’t match his tape.
The Commanders running back room is crowded, as Bill Merritt heads into his second season with Rachaad White and Kaytron Allen added in free agency and the draft, respectively. Jeremy McNichols was also re-signed along with Jerome Ford, both of whom will compete for a roster spot and rotational role. Washington’s proposed schematic shift to a zone-heavy scheme suits Henry, but a roster spot doesn’t look to be in his future. Still, if he shows well in training camp and preseason, a spot on the practice squad as a complementary back and spot replacement for Croskey-Merritt could be in the cards.
Robert Henry Jr. grew up in small-town Lumberton, Mississippi and has been playing football since age four. It is evident he loves the game and even a stolen car couldn’t keep him from attending practice. Discussed as a possible Heisman Trophy candidate at one point, Robert Henry Jr. is still very humble and knows there is a lot of work to be done if he wants to make it in the NFL.
