One year after selecting Drake Maye as their quarterback of the future, the New England Patriots attempted to upgrade his supporting cast in the NFL Draft. One of the picks invested in the offense in 2025 went to TreVeyon Henderson, one of the top running back prospects in last year’s draft.
Henderson showed why as a rookie and played a critical role in the Patriots recapturing the AFC East title. And while his rookie campaign as a whole was not without its problems, he seems poised to take the famous second-year jump in 2026.
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Hard facts
Name: TreVeyon Henderson
Position: Running back
Jersey number: 32
Opening day age: 23 (10/22/2002)
Measurements: 5’10 1/8”, 202 lbs, 9 1/2” hand size, 30 3/4” arm length, 76 1/8” wingspan, 4.43s 40-yard dash, 38 1/2” vertical jump, 10’8” broad jump, 8.87 Relative Athletic Score
Experience
NFL: New England Patriots (2025-) | College: Ohio State (2021-24)
A multi-sport athlete and two-way player on the gridiron, Henderson was a superstar at Hopewell, VA, High School. Originally a wide receiver and defensive back, he took over as the Blue Devils’ starting running back as a junior in 2019 and promptly was named Virginia’s High School Player of the Year. Even though he did not play in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, he was a highly sought-after college recruit.
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Ranked as a five-star prospect Henderson picked up almost three dozen scholarship offers, including from most of the top programs in the nation. His final choice came down to Ohio State or Oklahoma, and he decided to pick the Buckeyes as one of their top recruits in 2021. He went on to spend his entire four-year college career in Columbus.
In total, he saw action in 47 games with 38 starts, registering a combined 4,614 scrimmage yards and scoring 48 touchdowns. He carried the ball 590 times for 3,761 yards and 42 scores while also adding 77 catches for 853 yards and six more TDs. Henderson was named All-Big Ten in all four of his seasons at Ohio State: he was a first-team selection in 2023, a second-team pick in 2021 and a honorable mention in both 2022 and 2024.
His college success paved the way for an early draft selection. Henderson ended up getting picked 37th overall by the Patriots, and in his first season led the team in touches, touchdowns and most major rushing categories.
Scouting report
Strengths: Henderson is a well-put-together running back, who has the necessary bulk and broad shoulders to take on contact. His compact build and natural athletic ability make him a fit for both zone and power schemes, and also allow him to be used in a variety of ways. Besides being a productive runner, he also has had positive moments as a receiver both as an NFL rookie and back in college. He tracks the ball well in the air even on downfield throws and has the concentration and body control to haul in over-the-shoulder passes without losing much of his stride.
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His best and most notable trait, however, is his explosiveness. Henderson accelerates quickly and is able to maintain his top speed well, making it difficult for opposing defenders to chase him down. He combines his speed with contact balance and lower-body flexibility; he is quick enough to step away from tackle attempts or juke opponents 1-on-1 in the open field. The 31 missed tackles he forced in his first season in New England are a good example of that. Henderson hits the hole with authority and is efficient with his cuts.
Weaknesses: Touted as the best blocking back in the 2025 NFL Draft, Henderson looked outmatched as soon as he went up against NFL pass rushers. He showed hesitation identifying blitzers, was all over the place with his hands and feet, and gave up a high number of pressures and penalties as a result. He was a capable pass protector back in college, which is encouraging, but so far has not lived up to the billing in that part of the game.
Henderson also struggled consistently seeing the field and identifying potential cutback lanes. He is not the most creative runner behind the line of scrimmage and seemingly at his best within structure. Additionally, his downfield receiving production and route tree remain a work in progress. Henderson also has accumulated a lot of touches in his career. Not necessarily the most physically imposing running back, he might be best suited to play a rotational role rather than become a classic RB1.
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2025 review
Stats: 21 games (5 starts) | 584 offensive snaps (43.0%), 28 special teams snaps (5.1%) | 210 carries, 987 yards (4.7/carry), 9 TDs, 1 FB (incl. 1 lost), 1 FR | 47 targets, 40 catches (85.1%), 254 yards (6.4/catch), 1 TD, 2 drops | 11 QB pressures surrendered (3 sacks, 8 hurries) | 10 kickoff returns, 247 yards (24.7/return) | 4 penalty (incl. 1 declined/offsetting)
Season recap: Henderson entered the NFL in the second round of the 2025 draft, getting picked by the Patriots two selections after his Ohio State teammate Quinshon Judkins went to Cleveland. Like Judkins, whose year eventually ended with a season-ending injury, Henderson was able to adapt to the professional game rather quickly and produce at a fairly high level.
However, neither his output nor his usage as a whole were a constant throughout the year. Even though he finished the season ranked first on the Patriots in rushing attempts, yards and touchdowns, the rookie never threatened veteran Rhamondre Stevenson’s standing as the No. 1 running back on the roster. Instead, his playing time was largely inflated by injuries elsewhere: Stevenson missed three games in November with a toe injury while fellow rotational RB Antonio Gibson was lost in early October to a torn ACL.
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The Stevenson injury in particular opened the door for Henderson to see some extended snaps and show what he is capable of. With no other backs on the team seriously pushing for playing time, the second-rounder started all four of the Patriots’ November games and was on the field for almost 78% of snaps during that time. He also touched the ball 78 times along the way and registered 411 scrimmage yards plus four touchdowns, earning AFC Offensive Player of the Month recognition.
Needless to say, had Stevenson not gotten hurt, Henderson finishing the season with 584 offensive snaps and 210 carries likely would not have happened. That said, he deserves praise for making the most of his opportunity and showed plenty of promise on the field even outside of that four-game stretch.
His big play ability in particular was impressive. He had 19 explosive runs of 10 or more yards on the year and scored 10 total touchdowns, including four on runs of 50-plus yards.
Two of those came in what was arguably his breakout performance: in Week 10 against Tampa — one of those games Stevenson missed — he received 10 handoffs, gaining 147 yards and scoring from 55 and 69 yards out.
Statistically speaking, the game against the Buccaneers was not even the high-point of his rookie campaign. In Week 15 against Buffalo, Henderson had 148 rushing yards on 10 carries, all while scoring touchdowns of 52 and 69 yards. He also added two catches that day to finish with a career-best 161 yards from scrimmage.
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While those and other numbers are outstanding especially for a rookie, Henderson’s first year in the league was not all sunshine and rainbows. He also had his fair share of problems ranging from consistency and vision to, arguably most frustrating, blocking: despite being hailed as an advanced pass protector coming out of college, he struggled mightily in that area and was responsible for a combined 15 negative plays (11 pressures, 4 penalties) and a pressure rate that ranked third-worst among 43 qualifying running backs (24.4%).
And so, all in all, Henderson’s first year in the NFL was like many. There were definitive positives mixed in with the occasional head-scratcher or insufficient moment.
2026 preview
Position: All-purpose running back | Ability: Fringe starter/Role player | Contract: Signed through 2028 (2029 UFA)
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What will be his role? With Rhamondre Stevenson the No. 1 running back and primary early-down option on the Patriots’ roster, Henderson again projects as a complementary piece in the backfield. As such, he will not just serve as the next man up but also as a dynamic weapon whose speed and home run ability adds a different flavor to the New England offense.
What is his growth potential? Henderson offers clear three-down potential, but did not quite look the part as a rookie just yet. The aforementioned pass protection issues in particular are a limiting factor, but should he return to his Ohio State ways in that area he has the makings of a true all-purpose back capable of contributing on early downs and in the passing game.
Does he have positional versatility? While his eventual versatility has yet to be determined, the theoretical TreVeyon Henderson can wear virtually every hat possible for a running back. He can be used independently of scheme and, ideally, situation, and also has some potential as a kickoff return option: in 2025, he average 24.7 yards on his 10 runbacks. Depending on his offensive role, it would not be a surprise if the number of kickoff opportunities ends up increasing in 2026.
What is his salary cap situation? Entering the second year of his rookie pact Henderson comes with a cap hit of just over $2.53 million. That number, which consists of a $1.35 million salary and $1.19 million signing bonus proration, is guaranteed in its entirety.
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How safe is his roster spot? Even though his rookie season was a mixed bag in some respects, and he found himself in some hot water this offseason over a comment shared on social media, Henderson can be regarded as a lock to make the Patriots’ roster in 2026. He is one of their most explosive players and together with Rhamondre Stevenson forms one of the top one-two running back punches in the NFL.
Summary: Coming off a strong overall rookie campaign despite some hiccups, Henderson has a strong foundation to build upon in Year 2. If he can successfully do so and show strides especially as a pass game contributor, the Patriots have a dangerous weapon in their offensive arsenal.
What do you think about TreVeyon Henderson heading into the 2026 season? Will he make the famous second-year jump? Will he end up as New England’s RB1? And if so, who? Please head down to the comment section to share your thoughts.
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