New England Patriots running back TreVeyon Henderson. Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Surprise Patriots player being touted as 'difference-maker' in camp

By Steve DelVecchio | Last updated Aug 4, 2025 8:10 PM ET

The New England Patriots desperately need a skill-position player to step up and make a difference in their offense this season, and a member of their rookie class might be ready to assume that role.

Patriots running back TreVeyon Henderson has shown off his explosive ability through the first week-plus of training camp. Reporters in attendance have been impressed by the former Ohio State star's impact in the passing game, both as a blocker and receiver.

The Patriots shared a clip during Monday's practice that showed Henderson catching a deep pass down the sideline from quarterback Drake Maye.

Out here making plays.@TreVeyonH4 | @EftonChism pic.twitter.com/uCpaWulX3k
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) August 4, 2025

Henderson has made a number of plays like that in minicamp and training camp. According to NFL reporter Jordan Schultz, words like "special" and "difference-maker" have been used to describe Henderson within the Patriots organization.

There's a lot of excitement within #Patriots' circles about rookie RB TreVeyon Henderson. Everyone knew about his home-run speed and explosiveness, but multiple team sources have also emphasized his elite pass-catching and pass-protection abilities. Words like "special" and… pic.twitter.com/C1qC6qpH7k
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) August 4, 2025

The Patriots drafted Henderson in the second round (No. 38 overall). Henderson rushed for 1,016 yards and 10 touchdowns at Ohio State last season and averaged a whopping 7.1 yards per carry. He also had 284 receiving yards and caught a touchdown pass.

Rhamondre Stevenson is still with the Patriots, but he is not known for making an impact in the passing game. There is plenty of room for Henderson to become a go-to player in Josh McDaniels' offense.

Steve DelVecchio

Steve is a veteran writer who has covered a variety of sports and pop culture topics for more than 15 years. In addition to Yardbarker, his work has been featured on prominent digital publications including Larry Brown Sports, MSN and FOX Sports. The UConn graduate has published more than 40,000 stories and is one of the most experienced trending news writers in the country

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