Few teams in the NFL have made as smart a use of versatile running back rotations as the New England Patriots, who are set to restore the franchise staple after selecting a true speedster in the 2025 NFL draft, then handing $175k to a free agent who’s already being compared to Super Bowl winner Rex Burkhead.
The latter helped the 2018 Pats claim the Lombardi Trophy. Burkhead was also an unheralded and unfashionable runner who could grind between the tackles and be dependable in short-yardage and goal-line situations.
Those same traits are evident in undrafted free agent Lan Larison. The former UC Davis standout got a lot of money up front, evidence the Patriots “see some promise in him and a potential path to the 53-man,” according to Chad Graff of The Athletic.
Graff acknowledged that “Maybe this is too simple of a comp, but perhaps the Patriots are hoping there’s some Rex Burkhead to Lan Larison’s game. Similar size and testing numbers (though Burkhead was a touch more explosive jumping).”
Based on the money and the comparison to a former useful niche runner, Larison has the chance to make himself a factor in a new-look running game. One set to be boosted by the big-play potential of this year’s second-round pick.
Lan Larison Justifies Rex Burkhead Comparison
Comparisons between Burkhead and Larison are justified. At 6-foot and 215 pounds, Larison is far from an imposing bruiser, but he runs tough and never shies away from contact.
His tenacity was a big reason “Larison ran for 1,465 yards with 17 touchdowns. He caught 62 passes for 874 yards with six touchdowns” last season, per MassLive.com’s Mark Daniels.
The numbers are impressive, and Larison has the same willingness to attack the interior Burkhead offered the 2018 Patriots.
His most famous contribution was powering over the goal-line for the winning touchdown to beat the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game in overtime. It was Burkhead’s second score during the contest, and proof of his ability to make clutch plays in the biggest moments.
Another such moment was this decisive breakaway against the Los Angeles Rams in the Super Bowl, highlighted by Alex Barth of 98.5 The Sports Hub.
Burkhead, who left the Patriots in 2021 and retired three years later, ran angry with a low centre of gravity and some deceptive shiftiness. Larison shares similar qualities, so he has a chance to carve a niche role in a changing backfield.
Patriots Are Changing the Backfield
The Patriots are changing their backfield and doing it with traits. They started by using the 38th-overall pick to take TreVeyon Henderson off the board.
Henderson is a natural home-run playmaker. He has three-down talent, but Pats head coach will likely want to complement Henderson’s acceleration with some brute force.
Enter Larison, who could push incumbent Rhamondre Stevenson closer to the exit door if he impresses at New England’s rookie minicamp. Larison can be the foil for Henderson, leaving Antonio Gibson to be the receiving back returning offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels has traditionally loved to deploy.
This trio would give the Patriots something similar to what they had during their last Super Bowl season. When Sony Michel led the way, Burkhead handled the rough stuff and James White was the pass-catcher extraordinaire.
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