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3 reasons why Patriots drafted RB TreVeyon Henderson in Round 2
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- 3 reasons why Patriots drafted RB TreVeyon Henderson in Round 2
FOXBOROUGH – The Patriots aren't done helping Drake Maye .
On Friday night, Mike Vrabel added to his offense once again. In the second round, with pick 38, the Patriots drafted Ohio State running back TreVeyon Henderson .
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Playing for Vrabel's alma mater, Henderson was a dangerous weapon in Chip Kelly's scheme last season. He finished his collegiate career as one of the best running backs in Ohio State history.
Henderson was a star as a freshman in 2021, rushing for 1,248 yards with 15 touchdowns. After dealing with injuries the next two seasons, Henderson was back to full strength last season, rushing for 1,016 yards with 10 touchdowns.
The Patriots entered this month with just three running backs on their roster, returning Rhamondre Stevenson , Antonio Gibson , and Terrell Jennings . Henderson added another intriguing option for Josh McDaniels in that room.
Here are three reasons why the Patriots drafted Henderson:
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Patriots offense adds another weapon
The Patriots need help on offense and Henderson could develop into an above-average starting running back.
He plays with great acceleration with big-play ability, averaging 7.1 yards per carry last season. That's something the Patriots have lacked. According to The Athletic, 22.1% of Henderson's carries in 2024 went for gains of 10 yards or more. That was the third-best percentage in the FBS. Henderson also has some nifty highlight runs where he utilizes a fun spin move.
On top of that, Henderson is reliable with the football. He had zero fumbles over the last two college seasons (26 games). He had two fumbles, which he both recovered, during his first two college seasons. In 47 college games, Henderson lost zero fumbles.
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That was a huge problem for Stevenson last season. In 2024, the starting running back lost seven fumbles. After signing a 4-year, $36 million extension, Stevenson isn't going anywhere for the next two seasons. However, now, the Patriots have a really nice player to compliment him on the depth chart.
Henderson adds to the passing game
The Patriots haven't had a true passing back since James White retired. That should change now with Henderson in the fold.
Henderson has extremely reliable hands with only two drops on 53 targets over the last two seasons. Last season, he caught 26 of 30 targets for 284 yards and a touchdown. Henderson caught 77 passes for 852 yards and six receiving touchdowns over the last four seasons. He averaged 11.1 yards per catch in his college career.
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This pick is an example of the Patriots making life easier for Maye. Henderson will provide him with a steady pass catcher out of the backfield – along with his skills as a rusher. On top of that, Henderson is also a standout as a pass blocker in blitz pickup. He's rated as one of the best pass blockers in this draft among running backs.
Henderson is another good-character pick
Vrabel said he wants to change the Patriots culture on and off the field. He believes he did that in the first round after drafting Will Campbell at No. 4.
It looks like the Patriots did that again by selecting Henderson in the second round.
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Like Campbell, Henderson is another high-character prospect who should help the Patriots locker room. He was voted a captain at Ohio State and said to be a 'spiritual leader' in the locker room.
An NFL Scout told Go Long's Bob McGinn : "He's a big-play threat I could see him going in the second. He's a great guy. He'll be great in the locker room no matter where he goes."
An NFC director of scouting told the NFL Network , "They LOVE, LOVE him in that program. He's unselfish, really productive, can play on all three downs and is about the team first."
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Read the original article on MassLive .
