Two-time Class 1A Back of the Year Alvin Henderson is not resting on another banner football season.

The Elba High junior moved straight on to the basketball court following his team’s semifinal loss to Leroy in football.

“It really helps keep me in shape coming out of football,” he said at this week’s ASWA Player of the Year Banquet in Montgomery. “Football is a lot more lateral but when you play basketball, you are doing sideways and up and down. You also have to get your body ready several times a week whereas in football you are just playing once. It’s a big help.”

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The 5-foot-10, 180-pound Henderson is currently ranked as the No. 8 junior recruit in the state, according to the 247 composite rankings. In 2023, he rushed for 3,523 yards and 61 touchdowns on 225 carries – an average of 15.7 yards per carry and 251 yards per game.

“I believe my junior year was way better than my sophomore year just because I felt like I was more locked in and focused,” he said. “I felt like I was able to understand the game more and understand what I had to do on and off the field to be a complete player and a complete person.”

While competing on the basketball court, the uncommitted Henderson is also fielding heavy recruiting interest from multiple schools. He said several coaches, including Florida State’s Mike Norvell, have come to watch him play basketball, and he expects new Auburn running backs coach Derrick Nix to be at his team’s game tonight against Zion Chapel.

“Coach Nix and coach (Hugh) Freeze and coach (Charles) Kelly came down to my school last Monday,” he said of the Auburn staff. “Coach Nix facetimed me last night and said he would be at my game Thursday. I’m already bonding with him, and he’s only had the job like two weeks.”

Henderson said he was “hurt” by the departure of former Auburn running backs coach Carnell Williams but feels like he will be able to build a similar bond with Nix in time. He also said the new Alabama staff has continued to recruit him hard.

“Coach (Robert) Gillespie (Alabama running backs coach) came down as soon as he was able to get on the road,” Henderson said. “He let me know my spot with them was still secure. I’m still everything they want. He just wanted to make sure I can come up and have a conversation with coach (Kalen) DeBoer so coach DeBoer can let me know I’m a priority to him and everything like that.”

Henderson said he doesn’t have a list of finalists at the moment but mentioned Florida State, Alabama, Georgia, Miami, Auburn, Texas A&M, Texas and Penn State as schools he has heard a lot from recently.

He said he could commit in March after he takes a few more visits.

Other recruiting tidbits:

Saraland 2025 WR Dillon Alfred will be in Auburn on Friday.

Vigor 2027 OLB/EDGE Jabarrius Garror has received recent offers from Florida, Marshall, Auburn, Oregon and Florida State among others.

Parker DB Na’eem Offord, the top player in the state for 2025 according to 247 composite rankings, received an offer from Washington.

Williamson 2027 LB Ellis McGaskin has received recent offers from Florida and Missouri, among others.

Jackson 2027 RB Ezavier Crowell collected offers from Georgia Tech, Texas, Alabama, Florida State and Tennessee recently.