Defensive Tackle Deven Robertson Made A Strong Impression On Notre Dame Coaches As Irish Invasion

Notre Dame was incredibly active when it came to handing out scholarship offers to 2027 defensive lineman during the Pot of Gold offer event. One of the top players to earn an offer from the Irish was Hattiesburg (Miss.) Oak Grove big man Deven Robertson. At the time Henderson said Notre Dame was his dream offer, and the 6-2, 315-pound defensive tackle made a trip to campus for the Irish Invasion, where his relationship with defensive line coach Al Washington continue to grow.

"Coach Washingon is a great coach,” Robertson told Irish Breakdown. “Being on the field with him was a great experience. He makes me feel like a priority. He’s fun to talk to. Our conversations were great. He asked me how much I love Notre Dame, and I told him. Then, we talked about my game and how I’m getting prepared for the season.”

Robertson returned for the Irish Invasion on the heels of a spring visit that spotlighted that high priority vibe when Washington walked up to the Mississippi prep star in the middle of team practice to converse with him. That moment has stuck with him throughout his recruitment. 

This past weekend, Robertson got a chance to perform in front of the Irish coaches, showing a strong combination of quickness off the ball and power. While his performance was impressive to most, Robertson had greater expectations.

"I was excited to be there and compete,” Henderson said. “Overall, I think I did okay. I could have been better. I came straight to Notre Dame after a workout at Ohio, and I was sore."

Robertson is referring to the camp he attended at Ohio State the day before. He didn't have to work out at the Notre Dame camp, as the Mississippi defender is already a priority for the Irish staff. But not competing wasn't an option for Robertson.

"I wanted to be out there,” Henderson continued. “Both of my legs were very tight and my rib cage was hurting, so I wasn’t as quick and strong as usual.”

Robertson has a few more stops on his camp schedule, before settling into team preparations with his Warriors teammates, as they work to improve upon last year’s 8-4 record. He’s looking forward to dominating individually, but team success is at the top of his off-season list.

“I want to be a leader for my team,” Henderson said. “For my team to make progress this year, I have to be a better leader and help the team win a state championship.”

Henderson has an elite offer list that includes Notre Dame, Texas A&M, Tennessee, USC, Florida, LSU, Miami (Fla.), Florida State, Auburn, Ole Miss, Missouri, Arkansas, SMU, Mississippi State and Oregon State.