The New England Patriots gave Drake Maye some much-needed protection in Round 1 of the 2025 NFL Draft.
In Round 2, they gave him a much-needed weapon.
After selecting LSU offensive tackle Will Campbell at No. 4 overall on Thursday, the Patriots used their second-round pick (No. 38 overall) on Ohio State running back TreVeyon Henderson on Friday.
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SIGN UP HERE Henderson was a big-play merchant for the Buckeyes in 2024, racking up 1,016 rushing yards on 144 carries for an average of 7.1 yards per carry with 10 touchdowns. He also was a threat in the passing game, tallying 27 receptions for 284 yards and a touchdown in 16 games.
The Patriots already have two seasoned running backs in Rhamondre Stevenson and Antonio Gibson, but as our Patriots Insider Phil Perry explains, Henderson can add a new dimension to Josh McDaniels' offense out of the backfield that will help second-year quarterback Drake Maye immensely.
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"This is a pick that is going to make Drake Maye's life a lot easier," Perry said during NBC Sports Boston's "On The Clock" draft special. "(Henderson) is explosive as all get out. He is a ridiculous athlete at the position, 5-foot-10, 200 pounds, so he's big enough.
"He has very sure hands when you get him in a screen sort of situation, and he has the ability to take it to the house anytime he touches the football.
"There are some questions about his durability; he dealt with a little bit of injury (at Ohio State), and again, he's not the biggest human being on the planet. So, you're not going to ask him, in my opinion, to be a three-down back out of the chutes as an NFL player. But he doesn't have to be here in New England.
"You have Rhamondre Stevenson, you have Antonio Gibson, those guys are bigger-body, 220-plus-pound kinds of backs. This guy is your complement. He is your receiver out of the backfield. He is the kind of player that Josh McDaniels has turned into an incredibly productive option for a long, long time here in New England."
From Kevin Faulk to Danny Woodhead to Shane Vereen to Dion Lewis to James White, the pass-catching back has been a staple in McDaniels' Patriots offenses over the years. Perry believes Henderson fits that mold and can be just as dynamic as any of his New England predecessors, if not more.
"I would say maybe outside of Dion Lewis, who at his height was a ridiculous athlete in his own right, this is the most physically talented running back Josh McDaniels has had when it comes to this particular role, which I would say is a sub-back, speed-back, pace-back, whatever you want to call it," Perry said.
Add in the fact that Henderson is an excellent pass-blocker as well, and he should make fast friends with Maye in Foxboro.
Check out more reaction to the Henderson pick from Perry and Tom E. Curran below: