Given the way TreVeyon Henderson performed in the preseason, it was a little surprising to see the New England Patriots rookie listed as the third-string running back in the team’s Week 1 depth chart.
Don’t expect that to be the case for the entire season, especially if Henderson is as good as some within the game believe he is and can be.
In fact, one NFL coach told The Athletic that Henderson, a second-round pick out of Ohio State has “star” potential as he enters his first season in the NFL.
Patriots Rookie TreVeyon Henderson Getting Plenty of Hype
The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue recently listed 32 under-the-radar players fans across the league should know. Henderson earned the nod for the Patriots, and if the intel is any indication, Henderson won’t be under any radar for long.
“Watching Henderson for two days at Vikings-Patriots joint practices this summer absolutely impressed me,” Rodrigue wrote for The Athletic. “Henderson is quiet but moves like a much more experienced veteran, especially in pass protection, and seems on the doorstep of an explosive gain at any moment. He should be a go-to outlet in the passing game immediately for second-year quarterback Drake Maye, and could make waves on special teams. One coach I spoke with said Henderson has the makings of ‘a star.’”
Henderson wasted little time making his presence known during the preseason. He took the first touch of his NFL career to the house for a kick-return touchdown. He was otherwise used sparingly but showed more than enough burst and potential to get Patriots fans excited with 38 rushing yards on five carries with a touchdown to go along with three receptions.
Henderson Could Quickly Move Up Patriots’ Depth Chart
ESPN insider Adam Schefter even listed Henderson as a mid-round fantasy draft sleeper, noting the former Buckeye’s “speed, elusiveness and big-play ability.”
Schefter’s ESPN colleague, Field Yates, also was smitten with Henderson, not just as a fantasy option but as someone who could supplant incumbent bell cow Rhamondre Stevenson in the New England backfield.
“After the Patriots took Henderson early in the second round of this year’s draft, one of my first thoughts was: he could be this year’s Bucky Irving,” Yates wrote for ESPN.com. “Not because their frames or games are identical, but rather that each was drafted to a team that had a starter in place, and that Henderson would surpass Rhamondre Stevenson like Irving did Rachaad White last season. Henderson gives the Patriots some desperately needed burst out of the backfield plus high-level receiving ability. He showed off that high-level, big-play ability with a 100-yard kickoff return in the team’s first preseason game, and later on looked like the team’s best ball carrier as well.”
To start the season, it appears Henderson will have to fight for touches behind both Stevenson and veteran running back Antonio Gibson. However, Stevenson will likely have a short leash, especially after fumbling issues in 2024. Stevenson coughed it up six times last season, losing three of them, and it’s safe to assume new head coach Mike Vrabel won’t let that slide if it’s an issue again.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post NFL Coach Puts Lofty Tag On Patriots’ Exciting Second-Round Rookie appeared first on Heavy Sports.