Zaycoven Henderson commits to TCU at Junior Day

The TCU Horned Frogs held a Junior Day on Sunday for targeted members of the 2014 class and ended up coming away with a big commitment when Longview (Texas) defensive tackle Zaycoven Henderson decided to end his recruitment in favor of the Frogs.

A consensus three-star prospect considered one of the top defensive tackle in the state of Texas, Henderson is listed at 6-1 and 280 pounds. Considered a top-30 defensive tackle nationally by the 247Sports composite rankings, he held offers from Baylor, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, SMU, and Texas Tech.

Henderson told the Longview News-Journal that the timing just felt right to end his recruitment:

It just seemed like it was the perfect time. I was like why wait when I had my mind made up that I wanted to commit to TCU. Coach Patterson stopped everything and said, ‘Me and my wife have this saying, ‘Are you going to date with us or are you going to be married to us.' I told him I want to be married to TCU.

The Longview product also cited the favorable teacher-to-student ratio in Fort Worth and the proximity to Longview that will allow his parents to travel to his games as major factors in his decision.

For Gary Patterson and his team, the addition of Henderson is a big one because the defensive tackle position in the state isn't as deep as it has been in recent years, meaning that schools relying heavily on Texas prospects to fill out their class will end up in some serious battles. Securing Henderson early ensures that TCU won't be on the outside looking in and scrambling to find defensive tackles late in the class, which will surely happen to some schools in the region.

The Horned Frogs have gotten off to a strong start in the 2014 class overall -- they now hold commitments from four prospects, including Metroplex-area products like cornerback Nick Foster (Keller Fossil Ridge) and wide receiver Emanuel Porter (Dallas Lincoln).