The New England Patriots made quite a statement on draft night by selecting Ohio State running back TreVeyon Henderson in the second round, No. 38 overall. For a roster with plenty of holes to fill, running back wasn’t necessarily considered a “need.”

Still, when a player of Henderson’s talent is available, a good pick is a good pick.

The Patriots have already seen just how explosive he can be. On his very first NFL touch, Henderson returned a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown, and he scored in both of the two preseason games he appeared in.

At first, it looked like Henderson would share carries with Rhamondre Stevenson and Antonio Gibson. But The Athletic’s Chad Graff sees things playing out differently.

“Before camp, it was easy to envision Stevenson as the primary ball carrier with Henderson mixing in on third downs and Gibson spelling those two when needed,” Graff wrote. “But Henderson’s strong summer makes it seem reasonable that he’ll get half the carries, if not more.”

Even in limited preseason action, Henderson has shown he will be nearly impossible to keep off the field.

According to Graff and other reports, he won’t just be a part of the offense—he’ll be the centerpiece.

At Ohio State, Henderson amassed 3,761 rushing yards, 853 receiving yards, and 48 touchdowns. He played a significant role in the Buckeyes’ finally returning to a national title.

Now in New England, his skill set gives the Patriots a well-rounded approach. He can catch, he can run, and he has the kind of burst that flips a game in one play.

If he keeps this up, Henderson won’t just be part of the rotation — he’ll be the guy defenses have to game-plan for every single week.