There's no doubt the Patriots caught lightning in a bottle in the second round of the draft when TreVeyon Henderson was there for the taking. Given the talent of the Ohio State running back, Eliot Wolf had to pounce, and he got his man.
Henderson was a shining light in minicamp and will undoubtedly figure into New England's backfield plans. The Patriots needed to make an upgrade at the position, given Rhamondre Stevenson's inconsistent 2024 campaign and the fact that Antonio Gibson is more of a pass-catching back.
Henderson is a superstar in the making and can do it all between running, catching, and protecting the quarterback, and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels will figure out ways for Henderson to get productive touches.
When it comes to his Class of 2025 classmates, Henderson will be among the best, according to CBS Sports' Chris Trapasso.
TreVeyon Henderson has the potential to be a 1,000-yard rusher in the NFL
When listing the top backs of this season's rookie class, Henderson was No. 2 on Trapasso's list, only behind the Raiders' Ashton Jeanty. Poetically, those two backs will square off at Gillette Stadium to open the 2025 regular season.
Trapasso called Henderson a coach's dream, and given that he excelled in a deep backfield at Ohio State, his tires aren't even close to popping.
The running back's 6.4-yard per carry average throughout college is a testament to his talent, but in an offense run by McDaniels, you have to be able to catch the ball out of the backfield and pass protect, and those talents were undoubtedly seen by the Patriots when they called Henderson's name in April.
Can his presence make the Patriots' offense more dynamic and versatile in 2025? Certainly. One factor to consider is that Mike Vrabel was in charge of a run-oriented offense, spearheaded by Derrick Henry, in Tennessee. New England will also need Henderson's big-play ability in the passing game, and it'll be interesting to see how much McDaniels lines him up as a receiver while utilizing Stevenson in the backfield.
Henderson is another draft decision the Patriots nailed this season, and don't be surprised if he has a 1,000-yard rushing campaign within his first couple of years in the league.
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