The New England Patriots will enter training camp with a number of questions for head coach Mike Vrabel to answer. Among them is who will be the third and fourth running backs. The team is set at the top of the depth chart as they return veteran Rhamondre Stevenson and explosive second-year star pro TreVeyon Henderson at the position.
The depth behind them remains unsettled. One candidate is 2025 undrafted free agent Lan Larison, who spent the entire 2025 season on injured reserve.
Larison shouldn't be discounted as the Patriots' potential No. 3 running back. If he's healthy, Larison can do it all and could be a valuable addition to Drake Maye's offensive arsenal.
Lan Larison has a golden opportunity to earn a key Patriots role
Larison signed with the Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2025. He emerged from the University of California-Davis after a season for the ages. The 6-foot, 215-pound back logged impressive numbers with 1,465 yards on the ground and 17 rushing touchdowns. He augmented those gaudy stats with 62 catches for 847 yards and six more touchdowns through the air.
NFL.com's Combine Overview said this about Larison after that breakout 2024 season:
"FCS running back who offers a diverse skill set and two years of impressive tape to sift through. Larison runs hard, cuts sharply on the second level and has good balance through contact. However, he has average vision and lacks ideal creativity between the tackles. He has pro ball skills and protection talent but needs to tighten up his route-running to bolster his chances of beating man coverage as a pro. Larison could be deployed as a Swiss Army Knife type or a third-down back in the NFL. His toughness, talent and versatility give him a good chance of becoming a productive backup in the league."
The Patriots' running back room is top-heavy after Stevenson and Henderson proved to be a quality 1-2 punch in 2025. But after the team released Antonio Gibson, depth is thin, and the remaining two running back spots are up for grabs.
Larison will be right in the mix for a roster spot along with rookie Myles Montgomery, a sleeper running back from UCF who signed the largest UDFA contract in team history. The team also drafted Alabama's Jam Miller in the seventh round.
Larison should have a leg up on the competition since he's been in Foxborough for a year, knows the offense, and is a true dual-purpose rushing and receiving threat.
If Larison stays healthy, expect him to make the 53-man roster and vie for the No. 3 running back role on game days. If healthy, Larison could give the Patriots the versatile depth they've been looking for.
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