Maryland junior linebacker Erin Henderson, the team's leading tackler the past two seasons, said yesterday that he will consider skipping his senior year and entering the NFL draft. Henderson, who is scheduled to graduate this month, will file papers with the league to gauge teams' interest in him before making an official decision.

"There are too many questions out there, and I don't know what issues are going to pop up," Henderson said after practice yesterday. "I really enjoy playing here at the University of Maryland. I enjoy being around my teammates; I enjoy being around the complex. I like just having that campus atmosphere and not having to worry about anything. That's one of the main reasons why I'm up in the air about the whole situation."

Emerald Bowl Maryland vs. Oregon State, San Francisco, Dec. 28, 8:30 p.m., ESPN, 105.7 FM, 1300 AM