New England picked Henderson in the second round of the draft.
As the New England Patriots came on the clock in the second round, running back TreVeyon Henderson was not expecting a phone call.
The Ohio State back had just one zoom meeting with the Patriots leading up to the draft and did not have any sit downs with the team at the NFL Combine or his Pro Day. But, that did not stop New England from selecting Henderson with the 38th overall pick.
“Honestly, I had no clue that New England was going to be the spot. It was definitely a surprise for me,” Henderson said. “When I was getting the call I was shocked. I was definitely shocked.”
The one Zoom meeting, which was held early on in the pre-draft process shortly after the Combine, was held by Patriots running back coach Tony Dews. Henderson clearly made a strong impression.
“It was more so just getting to know your background. Seeing how well you know ball, how fast you can pick up the system,” he shared. “I believe I did a pretty good job. If I did a bad job I don’t know if they would have picked me.”
While the meetings — which according to Eliot Wolf also included one with wide receivers coach Todd Downing — with Henderson were minimal the past few months, New England’s staff has connections to the back.
Beyond head coach Mike Vrabel being an Ohio State alumni and attending the team’s Pro Day, Vice President of Football Operations and Strategy John Streicher and Director of College Scouting Cam Williams are Buckeye alumni. The Patriots also added Riley Larkin, who served as an offensive assistant for Ohio State, to their offensive staff this offseason.
Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels additionally spent time around the Ohio State program last year during his season time off. McDaniels’ offense projects as a perfect fit for Henderson due to the back’s explosiveness and ability to make plays in the passing game.
“I’m excited to learn, get coached by him,” Henderson said of McDaniels. “I’m excited to learn and grow.”
Beyond his impact on the field, Henderson marks another high character addition to New England’s locker room. A team captain on Ohio State’s National Championship Team last year, Henderson is now ready to make an impact on the Patriots new culture under Vrabel.
“He’s trying to rebuild the culture there,” Henderson said. “I’m excited to be apart of what he’s looking to accomplish.”