Ohio State running back TreVeyon Henderson had not played since the Buckeyes’ win over Notre Dame back in late September. He needed a good game to breathe some fire back into his NFL draft stock.
Mission accomplished.
Henderson, a 5-10, 212-pound junior, looked very much like he belongs in the conversation for the first RB to be drafted in 2024 in Ohio State’s 24-10 win at Wisconsin on Saturday night. The stats were great: 24 carries, 168 yards and a touchdown, plus four catches for 45 yards.
The stats don’t do justice to how impressive Henderson played, particularly in NFL scouting eyes. Take the touchdown, a 33-yard scamper that iced the road win for Ohio State:
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— Buckeye Videos+ (@BuckeyeVideos) October 29, 2023
Henderson has always shown good footwork and balance, but on this run he paired it with vision and acceleration. Being more aggressive in pressing the hole makes Henderson a lot more effective. He’d done that well before getting hurt against Notre Dame. He did it better in Wisconsin.
He did drop a would-be touchdown pass on a well-thrown ball while operating out of the slot. At least the route was on point, and it was his only real miscue of the night. He matched his reception total for all of the 2022 season in the win.
Durability will be an obvious drawback for Henderson, who missed five games last year and two more in his freshman season to go with the three in 2023. When he’s been on the field, his quick feet for his size and excellent balance through contact are as good as any back potentially in the 2024 NFL draft.