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Patriots Rookie Running Back TreVeyon Henderson Predicted to Become Starter
Patriots Rookie Running Back TreVeyon Henderson Predicted to Become Starter originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Rhamondre Stevenson has kept a stronghold on the New England Patriots' starting running back job over the past two seasons, appearing first on the depth chart in 26 of the team's 34 games.
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But Stevenson showed some chinks in his armor during the previous campaign, as he fumbled the ball seven times, which led to his benching at one point in the .
Ball security will almost certainly be one of Stevenson's priorities heading into 2025, and improvements in that area will boost his stock in a competitive Patriots running back room. Bleacher Report's Mitch Milani, however, predicts Stevenson will eventually lose his spot on the depth chart to an up-and-coming talent: rookie TreVeyon Henderson.
In fact, Stevenson topped Milani's list of "NFL Stars Who'll Lose Jobs," which Milani discussed in an episode of Bleacher Report's NFL Daily Live Show on Monday.
'Rhamondre Stevenson has a little bit more competition than he's had in previous seasons. Not only does he have a new regime, a new head coach and a former – but also new – offensive coordinator, but he also has a new member in his backfield," Milani said in the video. "TreVeyon Henderson – out of Ohio State, [a] second-round pick – was one of, if not the, most explosive running back in the entire draft class. And now, he is fighting, pushing Rhamondre for his starting job.'
Ohio State running back TreVeyon Henderson (32) holds the national championship trophy after his team's defeat of Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff title game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Jan. 21, Cairns / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Milani anticipates that Stevenson, should he lose the starting job, will continue to be relied upon and earn game reps in the backfield, but he believes Henderson has a higher ceiling in Josh McDaniel's offensive system, which has historically relied on pass-catching running backs.
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"When we think of the Tom Brady era of Patriot football... We think of the Kevin Folk's, and the Shane Vereen's, and the James White's of the world," Milani said. "Henderson fits that role. But even more so, more expansively, he is a more explosive player, or [a more] highly-touted player, than any one of those running backs."
Henderson, the No. 38 overall selection in the 2025 NFL Draft, is coming off a national championship season with Ohio State, which won the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff in January. In his final season with the Buckeyes, he served as a team captain on offense and rushed for 1,1016 yards on 144 carries, resulting in him earning a place on the All-Big Ten Conference Third Team.
Related: Patriots' RB Grateful for Team's Support Following Father's Passing; Ready for Football Now
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 3, 2025, where it first appeared.
