The New England Patriots' preseason is underway as the team is taking on the Washington Commanders on Friday. Expectations are high for rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson, as he has the opportunity to play a major role for the offense. He proved just how good he can be in Friday's contest after taking the opening kickoff to the house.

Henderson, who is 22 years old, caught the kickoff right at the one-yard line. He quickly found a hole and managed to evade and outrun the entire Commanders' kickoff team. TreVeyon Henderson was met by his teammates in the end zone to celebrate his first career score in the preseason.

The Patriots' rookie running back is leaving quite the first impression on the organization and fanbase alike. If he manages to showcase serious potential as a return man, then New England could give him that job at the beginning of his career.

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TreVeyon Henderson was the Patriots' second-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Coming out of Ohio State, Henderson was viewed as one of the top running back prospects this offseason. He's in the mix to earn playing time out of the backfield right away. However, veteran Rhamondre Stevenson is expected to get his fair share of opportunities as well.

We'll see how the running back position plays out in New England. Numerous teams across the league like to utilize more than one running back at a time. So, that could be the case for Henderson and the Patriots, too. But if the former Buckeye can consistently make big plays happen like the kickoff return, then head coach Mike Vrabel is going to have a hard time not giving more and more playing time as the season progresses.

TreVeyon Henderson played all four seasons of his collegiate career at Ohio State before going pro. He finished his career totaling 3,761 rushing yards, 853 receiving yards, and 48 total touchdowns. His 7.1 yards per attempt average in the 2024-25 campaign led the entire Big Ten Conference.

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