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Dylan Sampson

Browns Activate RB Quinshon Judkins For Week 2

September 13th, 2025 at 2:27pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Browns have activated rookie running back Quinshon Judkins, setting him up to make his NFL debut on Sunday against the Ravens.

Judkins was arrested in July on charges of battery and domestic violence that were later dropped. The NFL is still investigating the incident, but for now, Judkins is eligible to play. He was a full-time participant in practice with the Browns on Thursday and Friday this week and will likely have a limited role this week, if he sees the field, as he gets up to speed with the offense.

Judkins’ arrest initially led to significant uncertainty regarding his future. At the time, the No. 36 pick had yet to officially sign with the Browns as second-rounders around the league were holding out for fully guaranteed rookie deals. The two sides agreed to put contract talks aside as Judkins’ legal issues played out, but he finally put pen to paper the day before Cleveland’s regular season opener.

Judkins met with the NFL representatives on Wednesday in New York before returning to Cleveland. He’s on the Browns’ roster as a standard roster exemption at the moment, making him eligible to play as the league opted not to put him on paid leave via placement on the commissioner’s exempt list.

Before the Ohio State rookie’s legal troubles began, the Browns’ offensive backfield looked to feature the veteran leadership of a 40-year-old Joe Flacco juxtaposed heavily against a healthy dose of youth with two rookie rushers. Though Jerome Ford returned as the incumbent starter, having finished each of the past two seasons as Cleveland’s leading rusher, Judkins and fellow rookie Dylan Sampson looked too talented to be kept off the field early. The added fact that Ford was asked to take a pay cut in the days immediately following the draft seemed to hint at a decreased role for the 26-year-old.

With Judkins unavailable, though, the Browns leaned on Ford’s experience to open the season. While Sampson got the start, Ford played a slightly heavier snap count with 41 snaps to Sampson’s 33. In terms of production, though, Sampson dominated out of the backfield. Neither back saw much success running the ball, but Sampson’s 12 carries for 29 yards were slightly more effective than Ford’s six carries for eight yards. In the passing game, Sampson caught all eight targets from Flacco for 64 yards, while Ford’s only target resulted in a three-yard loss.

The gameplan isn’t likely to be too different against the Ravens tomorrow. Especially after watching Baltimore’s defense give up a league-worst 389 yards through the air in Week 1, Cleveland may attempt to let Flacco cut it loose in his old home stadium, which would mean a lot of checkdowns and screens for Sampson. Moving past Week 2, though, Judkins could find a lot of success working alongside Sampson, considering he’s more than used to sharing a backfield from his time at Ole Miss and Ohio State.

In their running styles, Judkins and Sampson seem like a perfect fit. Judkins runs with more of a decisive, one-cut style, attempting to get to his top speed by the time he hits the second-level defender. He’s not afraid of lowering the shoulder for contact with his strength and balance, making him difficult to bring down. Sampson plays with a bit more quickness and agility, finding his desired angle and cutting with speed. He certainly fights for every yard, but rather than lowering the boom, he’s more effective when he’s using small cuts and shakes to avoid getting hit head-on to eke out a couple more yards. Neither back was much of a receiver in college, but Sampson has clearly picked up that role quickly.

While it remains to be seen just how ready Judkins is for NFL play, just how much the Browns will be willing to utilize him, even just how long they’ll be waiting to hear on potential punishments levied by the league, tomorrow could be the start of something exciting for the Browns offense. It’s a lofty measuring stick, but visions of a 2020 Nick Chubb–Kareem Hunt duo don’t feel entirely out of reach for the two rookies’ ceilings together. While expectations for contention this year aren’t plentiful in Cleveland, if Sampson and Judkins can establish a strong rushing game for the Browns moving forward, the team’s two 2026 first-round picks could be instrumental in initiating a quick rebuild on the road back to the playoffs.

In order to make room for Judkins on the active roster, the Browns waived wide receiver Gage Larvadain.

Ely Allen contributed to this post.

Latest On Browns’ RB Depth Chart

June 21st, 2025 at 1:58pm CST by Ely Allen

After finishing 29th in the NFL last year in rushing yards, the Browns made a concerted effort this offseason to getting younger in their running backs room. In fact, Cleveland doubled down in the draft, using two of their seven picks on the position, becoming the first team in NFL history to draft two running backs and two quarterbacks in the first five rounds of any draft in the Common Draft Era.

Last year’s group was abysmal. Third-year back Jerome Ford led the team with 565 yards and three touchdowns in 14 games, six of which were starts. The phenomenal receiving contributions he showed in 2023 (44 catches for 319 yards and five touchdowns) effectively disappeared as he shouldered the main responsibility of being the primary rusher.

An aging Nick Chubb, 29, struggled in his return from a brutal knee injury. In eight starts through the middle of the season, Chubb failed to reach 60 rushing yards in any one game and scored in just two. His 3.3 yards per carry were the worst of his career; in contrast, before last year, he had never had a season with fewer than 5.0 yards per rush in his career. The third leading rusher was D’Onta Foreman. Also 29, Foreman’s 232 yards, zero touchdowns, and 3.3 yards per carry were among the worst numbers of his career.

Ditching the two 29-year-olds, the Browns only return Ford and Pierre Strong from last year’s diverse crop. Strong, 26, is the old man of the group, but his best season (2023) only saw 63 carries for 291 yards and a touchdown. Now Ford and Strong will be joined with a much younger duo as Cleveland welcomes second-round Ohio State rookie Quinshon Judkins, 21, and fourth-round Tennessee rookie Dylan Sampson, 20. Both Judkins and Sampson were higher draft picks in their respective draft than Ford (a fifth-round pick) and Strong (also a fourth-round pick, but 127th overall while Sampson was No. 126).

Judkins doesn’t add too much versatility in size to the room. Ford and Pierre both hover around 5-foot-10 or -11 and around 210-215 pounds, while Judkins adds a bit more size at just over 5-foot-11 and 221 pounds. Sampson brings a bit more diversity as a smaller 5-foot-8, 200-pound back.

In terms of production, Judkins brings consistency, never recording fewer than 1,000 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns in his three years at Ole Miss and Ohio State, despite only spending one season as a full-time starter. His best season came in his freshman year, though, when he recorded 1,567 yards and 16 touchdowns in just six starts (13 games). Sampson brings a flashy scoring ability after breaking out in his third year with the Volunteers. His 1,491 rushing yards in his only season as a full-time starter doesn’t quite match Judkins’ freshman campaign, but his 22 touchdowns beat any of Judkins three years.

In running style Judkins and Sampson seem like a perfect fit. Judkins runs with more of a decisive, one-cut style, attempting to get to his top speed by the time he hits the second-level defender. He’s not afraid of lowering the shoulder for contact with his strength and balance making him difficult to bring down. Sampson plays with a bit more quickness and agility, finding his desired angle and cutting with speed. He certainly fights for every yard, but rather than lowering the boom, he’s more effective when he’s using small cuts and shakes to avoid getting hit head on to eke out a couple more yards.

In a recent Q&A for TheLandOnDemand.com, ESPN’s Tony Grossi claimed that Judkins will be the planned starter moving forward with Sampson as the top backup. He points to Ford’s recent pay cut this offseason as evidence of a reduced role for the 25-year-old. Plus, his receiving abilities could become more useful in an RB3 role. While there is still plenty of time before the regular season for the depth chart to get shaken up, at the moment, it looks like youth will lead the way in the Browns’ rushing attack in 2025.

Browns Sign LB Carson Schwesinger, RB Dylan Sampson To Rookie Deals

May 9th, 2025 at 10:08pm CST by Ely Allen

Like many other teams in the NFL, the Browns got started with signing some of their 2025 NFL Draft picks today. The team announced this evening that second-round linebacker Carson Schwesinger and fourth-round running back Dylan Sampson have signed their four-year rookie contracts. Per Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, Schwesinger’s rookie deal will be fully guaranteed, making him only the second second-round pick to sign such a deal in NFL history, after Houston’s Jayden Higgins.

Starting his collegiate career as a walk-on at UCLA, Schwesinger didn’t become a starter for the Bruins until this past year. After only logging 27 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and one sack in his first two years in Los Angeles, Schwesinger exploded onto the scene in 2024. In 10 starts, he tallied 136 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, four sacks, two interceptions, three passes defensed, and a forced fumble.

Though Devin Bush is dealing with an assault and harassment charge, he, Jordan Hicks, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, and Mohamoud Diabate are all set to return as main contributors at the position in 2024. While Owusu-Koramoah (7th), Bush (9th), and Hicks (11th) all graded out extremely well out of 84 players graded at the position in 2023, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Diabate (74th) could easily be improved upon this year.

Owusu-Koramoah is currently working his way back from a neck injury that held him out of the team’s final nine games of the season. According to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, though, even if Owusu-Koramoah were healthy, Schwesinger still would’ve been the pick in the second round. Cleveland will now count on Schwesinger to push Diabate for that role as a fourth linebacker, fill in should Bush miss any time because of his legal issues, or fill in should Owusu-Koramoah not get back to full health in time to start the season.

Like Schwesinger, Sampson didn’t become a starter until this past season. Despite only starting zero games as a true freshman, he logged 397 yards and six touchdowns on just 58 carries. The next year, he only started one game but toted the ball 106 times for 604 yards and seven touchdowns. Finally a full-time starter in 2024, Sampson ran the ball 258 times for 1,491 yards and 22 touchdowns in 13 games.

After a year in which the Browns ranked 29th in rushing and failed to see a running back eclipse 600 yards on the ground, Sampson enters a wide-open situation. Jerome Ford returns as the lead back from last year with Nick Chubb unlikely to return, as does Pierre Strong, who will play on the final year of his rookie deal. Sampson will compete with fellow rookies Quinshon Judkins (second round) and Ahmani Marshall (undrafted) to push Ford and Strong for big roles in 2024.

Here’s a look at the Browns’ draft class including the two new signees:

2025 NFL Draft Rumors: Saints, Packers, Falcons, Revel

March 27th, 2025 at 10:13pm CST by Ely Allen

The Saints continue to stay busy having visits with 2025 NFL Draft prospects, according to multiple reports from Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football.

Last night, the team hosted several Georgia players for dinner, including a top defensive end prospect in Mykel Williams as well as wide receiver Arian Smith. They also reportedly had dinner this week with Pittsburgh tight end Gavin Bartholomew, a likely Day 3 prospect whose name has not been making the rounds this early in the process. Lastly, the team was in Knoxville today reportedly meeting with some Tennessee players, including running back Dylan Sampson and defensive tackle Omarr Norman-Lott.

Underhill adds that the team has been doing a ton of work during the pre-draft process on running backs. Even though lead back Alvin Kamara had a career-high 950 rushing yards in 2024, combined with 543 receiving yards, the sheer depth of this year’s class of running back prospects nearly ensures that quality backs will be available into the fourth or fifth round. Dane Brugler of The Athletic has eight running backs listed in his top 100 prospects list, so it makes sense that New Orleans is doing its homework on the position.

Here are a few other rumors concerning possibilities in the 2025 NFL Draft:

  • The Packers currently have eight picks in the 2025 NFL Draft, but if general manager Brian Gutekunst has anything to say about it, they could be angling for more. According to Matt Schneidman of The Athletic, when asked about not having many picks this year, Gutekunst added the addendum “yet” to the end of the statement, indicating that he would have some interest in acquiring more picks via trade. Green Bay currently sits at No. 23 overall in the first round. It’s been posited that many teams from pick No. 20 on are looking to trade back out of the first round due to a lack of elite, top-end talent in this year’s class, as opposed to the tremendous depth the class seems to provide. Unfortunately, due to that same issue, there are going to be few, if any, takers willing to give up precious draft capital to move up into the first round.
  • One trend we seem to be seeing shows the Falcons as likely candidates to go defense in the first round of the draft. Josh Kendall of The Athletic selected safety Nick Emmanwori in the site’s beat writer mock draft, and the other players he says he considered with the pick, safety Malaki Starks, linebackers Jalon Walker and Jihaad Campbell, cornerback Will Johnson, and edges Mike Green and Shemar Stewart, all reside on the defensive side of the ball. Kendall bases this belief that the team will go defense off of new defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich wanting to build a new, uniquely hybrid defense.
  • Lastly, Ryan Fowler of The Draft Network reported today that the Cowboys will be hosting East Carolina cornerback Shavon Revel for a top-30 visit next week. We know that Revel is attempting to make a comeback from a torn ACL that ended his final collegiate season after only three games and that he is projected to be back in time for training camp. What makes this an interesting visit is that, according to Clarence Hill Jr. of All City DLLS, Revel’s ACL repair surgery was performed by Cowboys team doctor Dan Cooper, likely giving the franchise a uniquely exclusive insight on his prognosis and recovery.