


FOXBORO — When the Patriots called Ohio State running back TreVeyon Henderson to share they had drafted him early in the second round Friday night, no one was more surprised than Henderson.
Before the draft, Henderson said his contact with Patriots brass consisted of a single video conference with running backs coach Tony Dews shortly after the scouting combine.
That was it.
“Honestly I had no clue that New England was going to be the spot,” Henderson told reporters Friday night. “And so it was definitely a surprise.”
Henderson got the call while sitting at home with his parents, brother and grandmothers.
“When I got that call, it was crazy. I didn’t even know who had the pick at the time,” he said. “And so when I was getting the call, I was shocked. I was definitely shocked.”
The 5-foot-10, 202-pounder brings needed speed to the Patriots’ backfield, having clocked a 4.43 at the combine two months ago. Last year, he averaged more than seven yards per carry and started all four seasons in college. Henderson has also been hailed for his blitz pickup and ball security, explaining that was something he worked on regularly in Columbus.
“That’s something we did almost every week at Ohio State, and I know if we put the ball on the ground, there’s a high possibility you’re coming out and you’re probably not playing again,” he said. “And so that encouraged me a lot to hold on to the ball, because it can cost the team, especially in those big matchup games.”
In fact, Henderson hasn’t fumbled in three years; making the sight of the football falling out of his arms almost as unexpected as his selection Friday.