The Minnesota Vikings’ decision at quarterbacks is their most significant, and it figures to impact several other organizations. However, the Vikings have another decision to make in the backfield, and Ohio State’s TreVeyon Henderson is an option in the 2025 draft.
Henderson is coming off a national championship with the Buckeyes. He rushed for 1,016 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2024, adding a 27-284-1 line through the air.
NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah projects the Vikings will select Henderson at No. 24 overall.
“The Vikings have had an up-close look at what a dynamic runner can do for an offense that also features a loaded passing attack (SEE: Jahmyr Gibbs in Detroit),” Jeremiah wrote on February 18. “Minnesota finds its own RB weapon in Henderson, with Aaron Jones headed for free agency.”
“Henderson is a muscled-up runner with elite speed and versatility,” Jeremiah wrote on February 24. “Overall, Henderson is a three-down weapon, brimming with big-play potential.”
Henderson finished his collegiate career with 3,761 rushing yards, 853 receiving yards – giving him 4,614 total yards from scrimmage – and 48 total touchdowns. He twice led the Big 10 in yards per attempt – first as a freshman and again as a senior.
The Vikings took J.J. McCarthy No. 10 overall in 2024 off a championship with Michigan.
Vikings’ Plans for Aaron Jones Fit TreVeyon Henderson
Jones led the Vikings with a career-high 255 carries and 1,138 yards in 2024. However, he is 30 years old, has dealt with durability issues, and is a free agent in a relatively underwhelming pool of options this offseason.
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell said that he wanted Jones to return in 2025.
O’Connell also hinted at a possible change to a committee approach, which the veteran has thrived in.
“We loved having Aaron Jones,” O’Connell said on Sirius XM’s “Fantasy Sports Radio” on February 7. “For the better part of his career, he had kind of been a part of backfield committees. And for the most part, it was Aaron Jones was the featured back. Played 17 games. He was able to be durable. Over 1500 yards all-purpose for us. Catching the ball out of the backfield, running it at an elite level. So, I would love to have Aaron back.
“Then I think we just continue to grow in that room, whether it’s infusing a young player in the draft or, maybe, another player in free agency alongside Aaron Jones. Hopefully, I think we’ll continue to grow, and our run game will continue to grow in being a complete offense, which is very important.”
Henderson led the Buckeyes in carries twice during his tenure, first as a freshman in 2021 and then again in 2023. He finished third in carries in 2022 and was second behind Quinshon Judkins in 2024.
Vikings Can Double Up at RB in Free Agency and 2025 Draft
Spotrac projects Jones to warrant a one-year, $5.6 million contract this offseason. It would be a step down from the one-year, $7 million pact he signed with the Vikings in 2024, perhaps due to a combination of his age, injury history, and not overinflating his value coming off a career year.
Over The Cap projects the Vikings will have $63.3 million to spend, though a large portion of that could go towards retaining Sam Darnold at quarterback.
The Vikings have four picks in the 2025 draft.
Only one of those picks falls in the top 50; their first-round pick. Using it on a position that many around the league view as largely easily replaceable could be a tough sell to and for general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, whose draft record is already heavily scrutinized.
The Vikings opened the 2024 season with Ty Chandler as RB2. But they reacquired Cam Akers before the trade deadline and eventually turned those duties over to the Super Bowl champion.
Akers is also a free agent, but pairing him and Henderson could make even more sense.
