A highly explosive playmaker in Ohio State’s offense, running back TreVeyon Henderson is an extremely exciting prospect in this year’s class. Henderson was a four-year contributor for the Buckeyes and brings rare juice to the position.
TreVeyon Henderson Draft Profile and Measurements
- Height: 5’10″
- Weight: 202 pounds
- Position: RB
- School: Ohio State
- Current Year: Senior
Henderson’s Scouting Report
Henderson is from Hopewell, Virginia and played high school football at Hopewell High School. He was a highly recruited prospect and a five-star recruit, garnering attention from every major school in the country. A dual-sport athlete, Henderson was also a standout sprinter for Hopewell High and one of the fastest athletes in the state.
Henderson enrolled at Ohio State and quickly made his impact known as a true freshman. He started 11 out of 13 games, rushed for 1,248 rushing yards, and broke Archie Griffin’s record for the most touchdowns from scrimmage with 19. He failed to eclipse his freshman year stats as a sophomore and junior as he dealt with nagging injuries but was still considered one of the top backs in the country. Many analysts thought Henderson would declare for the 2024 NFL Draft but he decided to come back to Ohio State for his senior season.
As a senior, Henderson and fellow running back Quinshon Judkinds formed one of the best running back tandems in the county. He remained healthy and led the Buckeyes to a National Championship. He now enters the NFL Draft as one of the class’s best prospects at the running back position.
Strengths
- Rare burst and acceleration to get to the corner and defeat angles to hit home run plays.
- Very good hands and is a natural pass catcher out of the backfield.
- Quick and agile feet get to cut across the line of scrimmage and hit the gaps as they open.
- Runs behind his pads and has good balance to bounce off tacklers when running down the field.
- Has the ability to make sharp, decisive cuts with the ball in his hands to make defenders miss in pursuit.
- Outstanding pass protector who has very good technique and effort.
Weaknesses
- Just average size and strength to be a three-down bell cow at the next level.
- Linear athlete who is best moving north and south – struggles to change direction laterally as he shows tightness in his hips.
- Not creative as a runner and can’t turn something into nothing when the play isn’t blocked up properly.
- Lacks the power to be a pile mover and is just average in short yardage situations
Current Draft Projection and Summary
While Ashton Jeanty is the belle of the ball for this year’s running back class, Ohio State’s Henderson is not a bad consolation prize. Henderson has been one of the most productive college football runners since he stepped foot on campus. He has qualities as a player that allow him to potentially have an outstanding NFL career and NFL teams will certainly be all over him if they need a running back with speed to burn.
As a prospect, Henderson is one of the cleanest evaluations in the class. You know exactly what you are getting with him and he has a very clear role in an NFL offense. Henderson is above average in size for the position but is an outstanding overall athlete. He has rare straight line speed and acceleration and is a true home run threat with the ball in his hands. He can play in either gap or a zone scheme but is likely best suited in a zone scheme where he can stretch the defense with his speed and then cut up field for a big gain.
For a smaller back, Henderson shows very good ability as an inside runner. He runs with good patience and vision, which allows for the play to develop before he accelerates and explodes through the hole. He runs a bit upright but picks up his legs, and defenders bounce off of him when he moves at full speed. Henderson has good instincts as a runner and can naturally feel creases open up. He has good foot quickness and coordination to quickly cut across the line of scrimmage to hit the hole as it opens.
Without a doubt, Henderson’s difference-making trait is his speed and burst, which he routinely showcases on outside runs. He is outstanding at running outside zone as he stretches the defense horizontally patiently, waiting for the crease to open. Then, he is able to put his foot in the ground and explode through the seam. He has difference-making game speed and consistently defeats angles to hit big runs. He is the type of runner that defensive coordinators have nightmares about because he has the ability to score whenever he touches the football.
One concern for Henderson as a runner is that he is such a linear athlete with some tightness in his lower half. He struggles to open his hips and change direction in the open field or when he is forced to stop on a dime and make sharp jump cuts. He lacks creativity as a runner and is best when he has an open seam to just put his foot in the ground and go.
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In the passing game. Henderson has proved to be just as dynamic a weapon. He runs good routes, flashes soft hands, and has yards after the catch ability with his speed and burst. He can be moved around the formation and can run routes out of the backfield, slot, and out wide. Additionally, he is an outstanding pass protector with very good technique and hand placement.
Overall, Henderson projects as a difference-making running back that would be best suited in a wide-zone type running scheme. He has rare speed and big play ability and would be an excellent addition to a team with a power running back already in place. While Henderson doesn’t have the size nor durability to be a bell cow running back, he has the type of playmaking ability that simply can’t be ignored.