Former Fresno State quarterback, buried on depth chart, transfers up to SEC school

Former Fresno State quarterback Jaylen Henderson has transferred to Texas A&M, an interesting step up considering his standing on the Bulldogs’ depth chart after spring practices.

Henderson, who has three years of eligibility remaining, failed to make much of a dent in a competition with Central Florida redshirt sophomore transfer Mikey Keene, junior Logan Fife and redshirt freshman Joshua Wood. Freshman Jayden Mandal was the fourth scholarship quarterback on the depth chart following the Bulldogs’ 15 spring practices, giving Fresno State better balance between classes in the quarterbacks room.

Henderson played in just two games and a total of six plays last season when Fresno State won a Mountain West Conference championship and beat Washington State in the Jimmy Kimmel L.A. Bowl., becoming the first team in history to finish 10-4 following a 1-4 start. He did not attempt a pass.

Fife came off the bench when starter Jake Haener was injured in the third quarter of a loss at USC. Henderson got a brief shot during a red zone series at Boise State, the fourth of four losses in a row for the Bulldogs and the second of four starts made by Fife.

Henderson entered in the first quarter with the Bulldogs at the Boise State 11-yard line following an interception by linebacker Malachi Langley. He ran one play, keeping the ball for a 2-yard gain. But the Bulldogs had to call a timeout before the next play, Fife reentered the game and scored three plays later on a 1-yard run.

The former three-star recruit out of Chaminade High-West Hills in Southern California received scholarship offers from Vanderbilt, Northwestern and Louisville, among others, after entering the NCAA transfer portal. At Texas A&M, he joins a quarterbacks room that includes sophomore Conner Weigman, junior Max Johnson and junior Blake Bost.

Weigman started the final three games in 2022 for the Aggies, and on the season completed just 55.3% of his passes, averaging 6.8 yards per attempt.

This story was originally published May 8, 2023 at 10:28 AM.