The Las Vegas Raiders have their new offensive coordinator. Former NFL head coach Chip Kelly is joining Pete Carroll’s staff. He has been the Ohio State Buckeyes’ OC in recent years, and they are fresh off a National Title.
Chip Kelly’s Ohio State connections
Kelly comes from Ohio State, who will have tons of players selected in the upcoming NFL Draft. They may have the most potential pro prospects of any college, and Kelly will have a personal relationship with all of them, particularly offensive ones.
The Raiders will certainly be looking to add impact talent on offense in the draft, so they’ll have a bit of an upper hand when it comes to the Buckeyes. No other team just hired their OC.
Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard may be a name to watch for Vegas sometime during the draft, but another position really stands out to me as one where the advantage may help the Raiders after hiring Kelly.
Particularly, running back remains a notable need. Carroll always wanted to run the football effectively in Seattle, and Kelly will value that piece to the puzzle, too.
TreVeyon Henderson
The former Buckeyes RB has elevated his draft stock with an incredible College Football Playoff run. He looked explosive and healthy throughout their championship adventure.
TreVeyon Henderson profiles as a dynamic, three-down back in the NFL with the potential to make an immediate impact. His blend of explosiveness, vision, and receiving ability makes him a perfect fit for modern offenses that prioritize versatility in the backfield. Henderson’s acceleration and long speed will translate well to both zone and gap schemes, allowing him to exploit any crease for big gains. — NFL Draft Buzz
Tyler Forness of A to Z Sports actually compared Henderson to a former Pete Carroll running back for the Seattle Seahawks. Chris Carson was his comp for the Buckeyes RB.
Carson was similar to Henderson in that they are somewhat bigger backs who can play on all three downs. There is some home run ability there, but success in the intermediate levels of the field will be his bread and butter. — Forness
Kelly knows his game better than just about anyone, and Henderson would immediately slide into a potential starting role if the Raiders took him on day two.
Sincere McCormick showed glimpses of impressive play in 2024, but they certainly need another reliable option in the backfield, especially with more upside. The expectation for McCormick shouldn’t be a workhorse RB at the NFL level.
Vegas needs another running back that they feel more comfortable with along with McCormick for the future. Zamir White has not proven to be that player as of yet, and that may not happen. Henderson has the potential to elevate the Raiders’ run game, especially with his experience in Kelly’s offense.
We will see if Henderson is on LV’s radar once the draft rolls around. It should not surprise anyone if he joins their roster this April.
