The New England Patriots have potentially found another hidden gem in training camp. As good as Drake Maye has been ahead of his second season, many believe rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson has been their best player thus far.
As the team's 2025 second-round pick, Henderson was one of the Patriots' 11-man draft class. He joined the team with high expectations and has delivered so far, forcing his way into the starting lineup. The early consensus is that Henderson might already be the team's “best offensive player,” according to the Boston Herald's Andrew Callahan.
“Rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson continues to shoulder one of the largest workloads in training camp, repping with the Patriots' starting offense, second-team unit and on kick returns,” Callahan wrote. “Henderson caught four passes in team periods, including a couple of long touchdowns from Drake Maye.
“He beat both of Mike Vrabel's starting inside linebackers and later took three hand-offs. Regardless of how the Patriots' season unfolds, this much is already clear: the kid will be involved.”
Henderson joined the team with incumbent starter Rhamondre Stevenson returning. However, Stevenson was one of the least efficient starters in the league in 2024, running for 801 yards on just 3.9 yards per carry. The Patriots entered the offseason clearly looking to make changes, which began with Henderson.
Patriots expect TreVeyon Henderson to play big role in 2025
He might not start right away, but Henderson will have a significant role with the team all season. The dynamic running back joins the team after racking up 3,761 rushing yards in his four-year career at Ohio State, including two 1,000-yard campaigns in his freshman and senior seasons.
He scored 10 or more touchdowns in all but one season in his career, an injury-shortened sophomore campaign.
Playing alongside Quinshon Judkins in 2024, Henderson has proven to be effective in a shared backfield. The Patriots will likely use him as a complementary piece to Stevenson early on, but the initial signs suggest he will soon take over as the starter.
Should Henderson pan out the way fans hope, his presence would be instrumental to Maye's progression. While Maye showed promise as a rookie, he struggled without adequate help around him, including a virtually nonexistent ground game. Maye was New England's most efficient runner in 2024, accumulating 421 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 7.8 yards per attempt.
