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Quinshon Judkins

Bengals, Cowboys, Panthers Meet With RB TreVeyon Henderson; Latest On Ohio State RBs

April 11th, 2025 at 5:33pm CST by Sam Robinson

TreVeyon Henderson took the unusual step of returning to school for a fourth season as a high-profile running back. The decision put more mileage on the four-year Ohio State cog’s odometer, but the arrival of Quinshon Judkins lightened the workload. Both players are now part of a deep RB class, with each candidates to potentially become first-round picks.

A four-year Buckeyes contributor, Henderson offers an all-around skillset that has naturally attracted considerable interest during the pre-draft process. Three potential suitors have emerged. The Bengals, Cowboys and Panthers met with Henderson, according to ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler and Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz.

Daniel Jeremiah’s NFL.com big board ranks Henderson 34th and Judkins 38th, and Schultz adds Henderson has gone through with Zoom meetings with teams beyond the above-referenced trio. Although Ashton Jeanty and North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton are regarded as the top two backs in this year’s class, the Buckeye pair may not last long into Round 2 — if the 1,000-1,000 duo makes it there at all.

While Judkins transferred from Ole Miss in 2024, Henderson arrived in Columbus as a five-star recruit in 2021. Injuries slowed the highly touted back in 2022 and ’23, calling into question a decision to stay in school rather than risk another setback before rookie-contract money emerged. But NIL has changed the college landscape, offering chances for players to cash in while still in college. Henderson capitalized and stayed healthy in 2024, boosting his stock during Ohio State’s national championship-winning season.

Although Judkins led the team in rushing, Henderson (1,016 yards), averaged a career-best 7.1 on 144 carries. (Henderson averaged 6.8 per tote on 183 carries in 2021.) That 183-handoff season was Henderson’s highwater mark, adding to the pre-draft appeal. Henderson also has displayed more as a receiver compared to his one-year teammate, an element that has created a three-down profile and increases the prospect it might take a Day 1 pick to add him.

The Cowboys may not be the team to use a first-round pick on a running back, and while the team met with Jeanty and Hampton, ESPN.com’s Jordan Reid indicates Dallas has also expressed interest in adding one of the Buckeye backs in Round 2. The Cowboys hold the Nos. 12 and 44 picks to open their draft.

Cincinnati also scheduled a Judkins visit. The team did not see its Zack Moss agreement lead to reliable production, and while the former Bills and Colts contributor is still under contract, Chase Brown emerged as a better option. Questions about Brown’s three-down ability have come, and the Bengals’ meetings with the 2024 Ohio State duo may well confirm internal uncertainty there.

Carolina made the first RB pick in last year’s draft, one that did not feature a backfield crop on the level of the 2025 cadre. The Panthers would seemingly be on the lookout for a Chuba Hubbard complement, having extended the former Matt Rhule fourth-round pick before seeing 2024 second-rounder Jonathon Brooks suffer a second ACL tear. Brooks’ return window may not open until late in the 2025 season, and with two ACL tears in two years, his NFL trajectory has been altered.

The Commanders have come up as another team that could be interested, as Reid suggests RB could be an early area the team addresses. Brian Robinson is entering a contract year, and Austin Ekeler has battled injuries over the past two seasons. The pass-catching back will turn 30 in May. The Broncos are planning to draft a back, and it would not surprise if the team — one that may be lacking a starter-level option — dives in early.

Cowboys Meet With Quinshon Judkins; Bengals, Browns, Giants, Texans Visits On RB’s Schedule

April 4th, 2025 at 2:44pm CST by Sam Robinson

Not viewed as one of the better draft classes in recent NFL history, the 2025 crop does bring considerable running back depth. After a 2024 draft saw only one back chosen in Rounds 1 and 2 (Jonathon Brooks), this year should feature several going before Day 2’s second half starts.

Ashton Jeanty is a mortal lock to be a first-rounder, perhaps a top-10 pick, while North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton is on the first-round radar as well. Should those two be off the board after the first round, the second opens the door to three Big Ten options — Iowa’s Kaleb Johnson and Ohio State’s 1,000-1,000 pair (Quinshon Judkins, TreVeyon Henderson). Judkins’ pre-draft itinerary is forming fast.

The Cowboys have met with the three-year college RB, who posed for a photo with Jerry Jones (via SB Nation’s Brandon Loree) after his meeting this week. News of Judkins’ Broncos visit already surfaced, but the former Ole Miss recruit is also set to meet with the Bengals, Browns, Giants and Texans, Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz tweets.

A three-time 1,000-yard rusher in college, Judkins scored an eye-popping 50 touchdowns despite declaring for the draft after his junior season. The 2024 transfer helped Ohio State to a national title, leading the team in rushing despite Henderson having played in Columbus for three seasons already. Although Henderson is viewed as a superior pass catcher, the one-year Buckeyes teammates may not be separated by too many picks. Daniel Jeremiah’s NFL.com big board lists Henderson 34th and Judkins 38th.

The Bengals turned to Chase Brown as their primary back last season, as Zack Moss went down midway through his Cincinnati debut. Moss remains on Cincy’s roster, despite being mentioned as a potential cut. As Nick Chubb has seen injuries sidetrack his career, the Browns did not re-sign the decorated RB, who remains in free agency. Holdovers Jerome Ford and Pierre Strong remain, as Cleveland appears to be eyeing an addition in the draft. Though, the Browns obviously have higher priorities entering the late-April event.

Saquon Barkley‘s transcendent Eagles debut came after the Giants did not make an offer in 2024, but the team did see some early promise from fifth-rounder Tyrone Tracy. Devin Singletary also remains on Big Blue’s roster, though the rookie usurped him on the team’s depth chart. The Texans made Barkley a lucrative offer, then pivoting to Joe Mixon. Although Mixon boosted Houston’s ground attack after Singletary’s exit, he is 174 carries away from 2,000 for his career. A younger option makes sense, as Dameon Pierce did not follow his promising rookie season with much of note.

The Cowboys lost Rico Dowdle but added Javonte Williams. Scheduling a Jeanty visit, Dallas should be expected — after passing on last year’s RB class — to make an addition during this year’s event. Williams has not looked quite the same since his 2022 ACL and LCL tears, and Dowdle had delivered a 1,000-yard season after Tony Pollard‘s exit.

Broncos To Table Extension Talks Until After Draft; RB Quinshon Judkins On Team’s Radar

March 29th, 2025 at 10:04am CST by Sam Robinson

Playing central roles in the Broncos’ first playoff berth since their Super Bowl 50 victory, Courtland Sutton, Nik Bonitto and Zach Allen reside as the team’s top extension candidates this offseason. No deals should be expected for a bit, however.

As the draft nears, the team will prioritize its next wave of rookie-scale contracts rather than divert attention to veterans seeking new deals. The Broncos are tabling all extension talks until after the draft, per the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson. While also naming John Franklin-Myers and Malcolm Roach as extension candidates, Tomasson points to the Allen-Bonitto-Sutton trio as key options here. Although extensions regularly take place in March and April, Denver completed four notable deals (with Quinn Meinerz, Patrick Surtain, Jonathon Cooper and Garett Bolles) last year, with none coming before July.

Out of the trade-rumor cycle for the first time in ages, Sutton posted his second 1,000-yard season and helped Bo Nix finish with the second-most touchdown passes (29) by a rookie in NFL history. The team has tabbed 2025 as the window for a Sutton payday, after merely agreeing to an incentive package after the veteran receiver pushed for a deal last year, and is planning talks. Still tied to a contract signed in 2021, Sutton resides as the NFL’s 27th-highest-paid wideout. The John Elway-era draftee is going into an age-30 season and will be prepared to force the extension issue as the season nears.

Allen and Bonitto each surged to the All-Pro tier last season, both landing second-team honors while powering the Broncos’ pass rush. A former J.J. Watt sidekick in Arizona, Allen has played in Vance Joseph‘s defense throughout his six-year career. He broke through with a career year in 2024, leading all interior D-linemen in pressures (47) and finishing second overall. Allen, 27, finished with a career-high 8.5 sacks and a staggering 40 QB hits from his 3-4 D-end position. Signed to a three-year, $45MM deal, the former third-round pick is interested in a second Broncos contract.

That production helped Bonitto’s breakout, and the Broncos saw their 2022 second-rounder raise his value considerably last season. The Oklahoma alum produced 13.5 sacks and two defensive touchdowns, helping swing late-season wins against the Browns and Colts. Denver already extended Jonathon Cooper in 2024, giving him a four-year, $54MM deal just before trading Baron Browning. Bonitto’s price, especially after this offseason has already brought monster EDGE deals to raise that market’s ceiling, will check in much higher on a second contract. The team is naturally interested in paying Bonitto.

As the Broncos’ focus shifts to rookies, the team used a “30” visit on one of this deep running back class’ top names. Former Ohio State and Ole Miss RB Quinshon Judkins is stopping through Denver for a meeting, 9News’ Mike Klis notes. A 2024 teammate of fellow high-end RB prospect TreVeyon Henderson, Judkins cut into the former five-star recruit’s workload with the national champion Buckeyes. The two formed a productive partnership, with Judkins using the transfer portal to finish a dominant college career.

Judkins finished 3-for-3 in 1,000-yard seasons in college. A 1,567-yard rusher as a freshman in 2022, Judkins formed a rare 1,000-1,000 pair with Henderson last season. The Columbus import led the Buckeyes with 1,060 yards (5.5 per tote) and 14 touchdowns last season. While Henderson brings a bit more to the table as a receiver, a trait Sean Payton prioritizes, Judkins produced better college rushing numbers. Daniel Jeremiah’s NFL.com big board ranks Henderson 33rd and Judkins 36th among a strong RB class.

With the Broncos losing Javonte Williams in free agency, they are expected to draft a running back. Denver could go with a back early, as the team may be lacking a starter-level runner even as it returns Jaleel McLaughlin and Audric Estime. Holding the Nos. 20 and 51 overall picks to start the draft, Denver is unlikely to see the Ohio State duo available in Round 2 barring a trade-up move.