TreVeyon Henderson is a familiar name to many who follow the NFL Draft more than they follow college football. The Ohio State running back was one of the early contenders for the top RB in the 2024 draft class before opting to return to the Buckeyes for another year.
A sturdily built back at 5-foot-10 and 212 pounds, Henderson netted just under 6.0 yards per carry in 10 games as a junior, narrowly missing out on the 1,000-yard barrier. Though he’s built like an interior back, Henderson has proven to be effective in all types of running lanes and styles. The Buckeyes tended to have him attack the edges of the O-line and work off the blocks of the tackles and tight ends, but he also did well working the B-gaps as a runner.
One of the things that stands out is his balance through contact. Henderson stays on his path very well when getting sideswiped or getting an arm to the thighs or shoulders. Good forward lean, excellent core strength.
When he’s aggressively pressing the hole and not sifting in the backfield, Henderson is a very effective runner. He does have decent lateral quickness for a guy of his build, but the acceleration from a stop or reset isn’t special. He does, however, have burst into a second gear once he’s rolling that can leave tacklers wondering where the heck Henderson went.
This run against Wisconsin is a perfect encapsulation of what all Henderson offers with balance, vision, acceleration and open-field giddy-up:
TREVEYON HENDERSON đź’¨ pic.twitter.com/vxGf3nyilG
— Buckeye Videos+ (@BuckeyeVideos) October 29, 2023
In the passing game, Henderson showed steady improvement as a route runner. He’ll never be mistaken for having natural hands or polished footwork in routes, but Henderson proved progressively more functional. He did drop an easy one in the Wisconsin game that stands out.
Perhaps the biggest area for improvement in Ohio State’s 2024 season would be pass protection. Henderson doesn’t have an innate feel for the pass rush and can be late to identify his blocking mark. He does have good anchor power and generally gets his hands inside to be effective enough to buy the QB an extra second or an escape route, but he’s often a count too late or a step tardy in getting to the point of attack.
Durability is also a valid knock. He missed five games in the 2022 season with a foot injury that required surgery, then missed three more games in 2023 with an undisclosed injury.
Henderson has a chance to be one of the top running back prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft if he can stay on the field and keep producing as an all-around performer.
[lawrence-related id=654264]