From Sean P. Murphy

Following the footsteps of his older brother, Jordan Henry verbally committed to play baseball at Ole Miss.

The Vicksburg High incoming senior said he was playing in a summer league tournament in Oxford when Ole Miss coach Mike Bianco offered a scholarship.

Verbal commitments are non-binding and will not be official until Henry signs a scholarship.

“I called him on Saturday and let him know that’s where I wanted to go,” said Henry, in Starkville for a tournament with the select Mississippi Heat. “… It was really surprising how early he offered me a scholarship.”

Justin Henry, who just completed his redshirt freshman season for the Rebels, finished the year second on the team with a .374 batting average with three triples and a pair of home runs. Justin Henry played first base, second base, outfield and designated hitter. Jordan Henry plays shortstop for the Gators.

“Before (Justin) went to Oxford, we weren’t big Ole Miss fans,” Jordan Henry said. “Since then, we’ve gone up there a lot and I’ve met a lot of people here. We’re both excited about it.”

Jordan Henry attended the Oxford regionals and super regionals.

“It was the most exciting crowd I’ve ever been around,” Jordan Henry said.

In three seasons with Vicksburg, Jordan Henry is hitting .347 with eight doubles and 33 RBIs. Henry hit .341 with 28 hits in both his sophomore and junior seasons.

Henry played on the Gators’ tennis team, reaching the Class 5A semifinals this season. He said he has no plans to play tennis in Oxford.

He’s also taking on football for his senior season at VHS.

“The last time I played football was in the seventh grade,” Henry said. “The coaches and players finally talked me into it.”

Henry will play wide receiver and he caught a touchdown in a passing league game earlier this week.

“I plan to go deep a lot,” Henry said with a chuckle. “Hopefully I won’t have to go over the middle too much.”

The Henrys are just the latest of several local families of athletes to go to the same college. Warren Central football siblings Rob, Josh and Brett Morgan all played for Mississippi State, while former Vicksburg High standouts Michael and Antonio Rainey are playing football together at Grambling. Bo and Craig Newton, both Warren Central baseball standouts, played briefly together at Delta State before Bo transferred to Mississippi College.

The early signing period for baseball is scheduled to begin Nov. 9.