Over the last several years, Ohio State has been known for its ability to crank out NFL-caliber receivers. Going back to 2020, the offense was run through the air due to a lack of a true three-down running back for all intents and purposes. Flash forward to today, and an RB is taking the devy world by storm, TreVeyon Henderson. Henderson is a former 5-star recruit and the #1 running back in his class per 247 sports. He is the most prolific RB Ohio State has had on their roster since the likes of J.K Dobbins or Ezekiel Elliot. Henderson might be the best one out of the three.
A True Workhorse
During the 2020 college football playoffs, we saw the rise in stock for Ohio State’s Trey Sermon due to a few monster games. We were all first-hand witnesses to the offense’s struggles against Alabama once Sermon was injured. Even with the magical season of Sermon, something was missing, a true 3-down RB. Ohio State hadn’t had an RB on their roster that you could call a workhorse back since J.K Dobbins departed. That all changed when true freshman Henderson stepped on campus. He brought NFL-ready size as a freshman, an ability to be a force on the ground, and a weapon through the air. The offense found its stride once Henderson started taking meaningful snaps. They did not skip a beat since he took over.
The Stats
Henderson entered the 2021 season as a part of an RB committee. During the first two games of the season, he split carries with Miyan Williams and Master Teague. He received a total of 14 carries during the first two weeks of the season, which admittedly is nothing to write home about. And then Week 3 happened.
True freshman running back TreVeyon Henderson in his first career start at Ohio State: 21 carries, 236 rushing yards, 3 TD.
— Luca Sartirana (@SartiranaLuca) September 18, 2021
The Buckeyes have their new star RB.pic.twitter.com/eRbQjOS2D2
Henderson grabbed the lion’s share of the carries in Week 3 versus Tulsa. He rushed the ball 24 times for a whopping 277 yards and three touchdowns. He rode this huge performance for the rest of the season, becoming the team’s primary back. Henderson finished the season with 183 carries for 1,248 yards and 15 touchdowns. He added another 312 receiving yards and four touchdowns through the air.
The Film
Big Play Potential
Three things are certain in life. Death, taxes, and Henderson breaking a long run on Saturdays. As an Ohio State fan, I tuned in to their games most every week. Without fail, Henderson broke a long run every week. He shows the ability to hit his top speed fast, and when he does, look out. Henderson can score from anywhere on the field, and when he takes a handoff, he has the long speed to go the distance on any run. This big-play potential will serve him well in the NFL and on your fantasy football rosters, especially in leagues that give big-play bonuses.
Playmaking Ability
Shot out of a cannon 💨 TreVeyon Henderson is the top #devy prospect in college football. pic.twitter.com/cnrOXFhKfM
— Justin Hulsey (@FF_Hulsey) November 14, 2021
Henderson has the long speed and big-play potential, and he has the playmaking ability to make things happen behind the line of scrimmage and in the trenches. When watching his film, it is easy to see when the play breaks down and the blocks don’t hold up; Henderson makes something out of nothing. He shows great vision behind the line of scrimmage. Then he diagnoses the correct hole and hits it fast and decisively. He also shows lateral agility to be able to evade tackles with ease. Henderson has a nasty jump cut and can cut without losing speed. This is crucial in his ability to create on his own, which he repeatedly does.
Receiving Nightmare
Henderson isn’t just a force in the run game, though. He is a nightmare catching the ball and shows off soft hands on film and extends well to the ball. He is not a body catcher, which is important regarding your ability to catch cleanly and then turn and create after the catch. Once he catches the ball, Henderson is dynamic in the open field, showing off the speed and playmaking ability we discussed earlier. In today’s fantasy football game, RBs who can catch the ball are at a premium, and Henderson is just that. As a freshman, he caught 27 passes last season, and that is only the beginning. It is easy to see a path where he catches 50-60 passes a season, which puts him right up there as a top-end RB1 with his rushing ability.
Conclusion
Coming into the 2021 season, the consensus RB1 in Devy Fantasy Football was an easy pick. You picked Texas’ Bijan Robinson and moved on. Flash forward to today, and the discussion has become a little murkier. Henderson offers everything that you could want in a true workhorse RB. He has NFL size, is excellent between the tackles, has the speed to house long runs, and is great in the passing game. It is not shocking to see him go occasionally has the overall 1.01 in devy drafts, and deservedly so. TreyVeon Henderson will be the next in line of great Ohio State RBs at the next level and will anchor your fantasy roster at that position for the next several years.
Well, that does it for us today. For more devy and college football analysis, make sure to follow me on Twitter @DevyMatt and subscribe to my Youtube Page at Devy Database, where I am starting to put out player profiles. We will see you next time.
