New England Patriots rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson has the opportunity to make franchise history during his first season. He might be the only player in recent history who is capable of breaking two franchise records, one as soon as his rookie season.
The Patriots have only had three rookies in the history of the franchise rush for 1,000 yards, which hasn’t been accomplished since 1998. Furthermore, there have only been 11 other rookies to surpass 600 rushing yards in their first season with the Patriots.
- Curtis Martin (1,487 yards, 1995)
- John Stephens (1,168 yards, 1988)
- Robert Edwards (1,115 yards, 1998)
- Leonard Russell (959 yards, 1991)
- Sony Michel (931 yards, 2018)
- Tony Collins (873 yards, 1981)
- Vagas Ferguson (818 yards, 1980)
- Craig James (790 yards, 1984)
- Laurence Maroney (745 yards, 2006)
- Carl Garrett (691 yards, 1969)
- Rhamondre Stevenson (606 yards, 2021)
Although we still don’t know how the Patriots intend to use their three running backs, it’s safe to say that Henderson is the fastest and arguably the most complete package for a running back on the roster.
In fact, in a press conference at the beginning of the preseason, offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels said that Henderson is the fastest player that he’s ever worked with.
“We’ve had some really good players with skillsets that are somewhat like his - maybe no one as fast. [Shane] Vereen was probably the fastest — him and Danny Woodhead were fast, but TreVeyon is fast, fast. Excited to be with him.”
Patriots Rookie RB TreVeyon Henderson is Destined for Greatness
In the preseason, Pats fans got a taste of what Henderson brings to the table when he returned the opening kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown. It was the rookie’s first touch in the NFL, and he took it the distance and showcased his speed and vision on the play.
THE FIRST TIME HE TOUCHED THE BALL IN THE NFL!!!!@TreVeyonH4 | @NFL
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) August 8, 2025
📺: WBZ pic.twitter.com/NcT2a635nx
Seeing Henderson’s speed and explosiveness in a live game setting gives us an idea of the plays that McDaniels will be able to scheme for him. With his speed and burst, it’s hard to believe that Henderson won’t reach 600 rushing yards during his rookie season.
If everything goes right, Henderson has a terrific shot to be the next 1,000-yard rookie running back for the Patriots and the first to do so in 27 years.
The other franchise record that Henderson has the opportunity to break at any point during his Patriots career is the single-season rushing record that was set by Corey Dillon with 1,635 yards in 2004.
In the history of the franchise, the Patriots have had 17 1,000-yard rushing seasons from 14 different players. It’s not something that occurs too often for the Patriots, but Henderson is likely the next player to reach that feat.
Henderson is equipped with just the right size and speed to be an elite and lethal weapon running the ball for the Patriots. Many variables come into play with this, the most important being the total number of attempts Henderson will have in a season.
The other major variable for Henderson, or any of the running backs, is how well the offensive line will perform. Coming off a season where it was the worst group in the NFL last season, the Patriots are set to start an entirely new offensive line this season, with the exception of Mike Onwenu. The offensive line will likely feature two rookies in Will Campbell and Jared Wilson.
It’s funny that Henderson could be the one to break Corey Dillon’s record (1,635, 2004) because I think a great player comparison for him is Dillon. Although Dillon is bigger in size, the two share similar qualities as running backs.
- Corey Dillon: 6’1”, 225 lbs., 4.53 40-Yard-Dash (Drafted 43rd overall, 1997)
- TreVeyon Henderson: 5’10”, 202 lbs., 4.43 40-Yard-Dash (Drafted 38th overall, 2025)
Both Dillon and Henderson have great strength and contact balance to run through defenders with ease, which doesn't impact their speed and momentum. Dillon has burst and doesn’t take long to reach his top speed, much like Henderson.
Although Dillon was an experienced veteran by the time he joined the Patriots after seven seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals, the comparison is still fitting. Henderson has a similar foundation to the four-time Pro Bowl RB, and time will tell if his career will bring similar success.