Patriots finally add offensive explosiveness in Henderson, Williams on Day 2 of NFL Draft

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Three days after Christmas last year, the New England Patriots hosted the Los Angeles Chargers in a nationally televised contest, hopeful to showcase their promising rookie quarterback, Drake Maye.

Instead, the Patriots totaled just 181 yards of offense and 11 first downs. They were completely outmanned in a 40-7 loss that displayed their lack of game-breaking talent on offense.

So on Day 2 of the 2025 NFL Draft on Friday night, a new-look regime continued to spend its most valuable draft picks in support of Maye, this time with one theme in mind: explosiveness.

In recent years, so much had to go right for the Patriots offense to find success. A single penalty felt like a drive crusher because they had no players who seemed capable of making a chunk play. No one could get them out of a hole if they got off schedule.

Since the start of the 2023 season, the Patriots have the lowest percentage of explosive plays (defined as rushing plays of 12-plus yards or passing plays of 16-plus yards) in the NFL. Last season, they tied with the New York Giants for the fewest completions of 20-plus yards (34).

That’s why, in the second round, coach Mike Vrabel and his cohorts drafted a fleet-footed running back capable of taking a carry 70 yards, even if picking TreVeyon Henderson at No. 38 seemed a bit early for a team with plenty of other holes. And that’s why, in the third round, the Pats took a big-play wide receiver with blazing speed and a knack for catching deep balls, even if Kyle Williams isn’t the big-bodied receiver they sought. They followed that by adding more long-term help for Maye, picking center Jared Wilson with their final selection of the night, a quick-moving lineman who posted the fastest GPS speed ever for a center at the combine. All told, their first four picks in the draft — they nabbed LSU left tackle Will Campbell in Thursday night’s Round 1 — are all players who will ideally help Maye for years to come.

But when piecing together why the Patriots made the moves they did Friday night, there’s no need to look beyond the explosiveness their new offensive skill position players bring.

“That was definitely an emphasis,” executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf said.

Why does Kyle Williams make tons of sense for the Patriots?

Last year, only the Browns had fewer explosive passing plays. pic.twitter.com/wMp3ecRq23

— Chad Graff (@ChadGraff) April 26, 2025

That’s not to say the picks came without criticism. Pick No. 38 is awfully early for a rebuilding team with a plethora of needs — that already has two solid running backs on the roster — to pick a running back in a draft class loaded at the position. And Williams, for all the explosiveness he can provide, has small hands (8 3/4 inches), which contributed to his 21 drops in college.

But for the Patriots, it’s easy to see why these picks make sense. They have a common theme.

“I’d say I’m fast, I’m explosive,” Henderson said of his game.

“Versatile, game-changing, and electric,” Williams said of his.

Start with Henderson. He’s a game-breaking back with a burst that Rhamondre Stevenson just doesn’t have. The Patriots actually ranked in the top 10 in the league in explosive rushing plays last season, but that was boosted by Maye’s scrambling ability. (Maye had 18 rushes of 10-plus yards, just behind Stevenson’s 22.) Meanwhile, Henderson is a big play waiting to happen. Last season, 22 percent of his carries resulted in gains of 10 or more yards (third highest in the FBS).

If the Patriots want to ease Henderson into the NFL, he can start as a third-down back. Scouts raved about his pass-catching ability and pass blocking. Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels has a history of rotating running backs to keep them fresh while carving out specific roles on third down. Maybe that’s how Henderson starts before taking on more of the rushing load.

“Maybe the running back position wasn’t a top need … but we wanted to add speed to the roster,” Wolf said. “He’s a threat with the ball in his hands.”

In addition to the lack of explosives, the New England receivers have struggled to even get open. Blame some of it on scheme, sure, but they just haven’t had many wideouts who can separate with ease. That’s where Williams can, well, set himself apart.

He gets off the line of scrimmage very well (perhaps no play last year was more impressive than when he blew past Travis Hunter for a score). He can win in man-to-man coverage. His body type isn’t ideal (5-foot-11, 190 pounds) and is similar to what the Patriots already have at the position. But the way he plays is different.

“That was something that stood out to us throughout the process,” Wolf said of Williams’ ability to separate.

In so many games in recent years, the Patriots offense has been hard to watch. Everything always had to be perfect, to break just right for them to move the ball. There were no players who truly concerned opposing defensive coordinators. No one who made you jump out of your chair because of the crazy play he just pulled off.

But on Friday, the Patriots set out to change that. They used free agency to revamp their defense. They used the first round Thursday night to address their biggest hole and ideally protect Maye’s blind side now and into the future. Then it was time to bring some explosiveness to McDaniels’ unit.

We’ll see how it all works out. This rebuild is still in the early stages.

But thanks to Friday’s moves, the Patriots offense just got a lot more fun to watch.

(Photo of TreVeyon Henderson: Ron Jenkins / Getty Images)

This news was originally published on this post .

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