Career Highlights
• 2025 Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year
• 2025 First Team All-Sun Belt
• 2025 Phil Steele Fourth Team All-America
Career Summary
Four-year letterwinner at James Madison University (2022-25), culminating in a superlative senior season that saw him earn Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year honors while helping the Dukes reach the College Football Playoff for the first time in program history … totaled 49 games played and 32 starts at linebacker during his JMU career … finished his undergrad career with 209 tackles (84 solo), 19.0 tackles for loss (TFL), 6.0 sacks, three forced fumbles, and five pass breakups (PBU) … had a combined 160 tackles and 16.0 TFLs over his junior and senior seasons … recorded 10+ tackles in six games as a Duke, including five during his senior campaign.
2025 (James Madison)
Had a breakout senior year at JMU, earning Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year honors and helping the Dukes to a Sun Belt Championship and their first-ever CFP berth … earned Fourth Team All-America honors from Phil Steele … was a Group of Five First Team All-American per HERO Sports … named First Team All-Sun Belt … voted team defensive MVP and also earned the program’s leadership award at the end of the season … Started all 14 games at middle linebacker during JMU’s historic 2025 campaign … registered a career-high 106 tackles (39 solo) along with 7.0 tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks, two forced fumbles, and three pass breakups … had at least five tackles in all 14 of JMU’s games … ranked 10th in the Sun Belt in tackles per game (7.6) … named the Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Week after recording 11 tackles, 3.0 TFLs (all sacks), and forcing a fumble in a 35-10 win over Georgia Southern on Sept. 27 … had double-digit tackles in five separate contests … led the JMU defense in its CFP matchup against Oregon on Dec. 20, notching 10 tackles and 1.0 TFL … had five tackles and a PBU in the Dukes’ Sun Belt Championship Game victory over Troy … posted a JMU single-game career-high 12 tackles with a half-TFL at Marshall on Nov. 8 … also recorded 10-tackle performances at Texas State on Oct. 28 and vs. Washington State on Nov. 22.
2024 (James Madison)
Played in all 13 of JMU’s games, starting 12 at linebacker … posted 54 tackles (25 solo) with 9.0 tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks, one forced fumble, and one PBU … registered season highs in tackles (7) and tackles for loss (2.0) while forcing a fumble at North Carolina on Sept. 21 … had six tackles, including 1.5 TFLs, at Louisiana-Monroe on Oct. 5 … recorded 4+ tackles in 10 contests.
2023 (James Madison)
Played in 12 games as a true sophomore, starting five at linebacker … totaled 29 tackles (10 solo) with 1.0 tackle for loss and a PBU … notched a season-high 11 tackles, the first double-digit-tackle performance of his career, in a win over South Alabama on Sept. 30 … recorded six tackles, with a half-TFL, at Utah State on Sept. 23.
2022 (James Madison)
Entered 10 games as a true freshman, including one start at linebacker … posted 20 tackles (10 solo) with 2.0 tackles for loss … made a season-high seven tackles, including 1.0 TFL, at Louisville on Nov. 5 … added six tackles against Marshall on Oct. 22.
High School
Attended St. Christopher’s High School in Richmond, Va. … two-time all-state selection … served as team captain in his final two seasons … helped St. Christopher’s to a division championship game berth in 2019 … also lettered in basketball and track & field.
Personal
Parents are Kevin and Crystal Hendrick … has one sister, Taylor … earned his degree in sociology from JMU.