Quinshon Judkins Can Become the Browns' Next Dominant Running Back

Following two electric seasons at Ole Miss, Quinshon Judkins made the surprising decision to transfer to Ohio State. Judkins seemed to be chasing a national title, and it paid off with the Buckeyes winning it all.

However, this meant a hit to Judkins' production, risking his NFL Draft stock. After continuing to produce at a high clip with less work, Judkins is still viewed as one of 2025's best running backs.

After being selected by the Cleveland Browns with the 36th pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, what can we expect from his rookie season?

Quinshon Judkins NFL Draft Profile

Judkins roared onto the scene as a true freshman halfback at Ole Miss, amassing 1,567 rushing yards, 5.7 yards per carry, and 16 rushing yards. He also turned in an impressive sophomore season by racking up 1,158 rushing yards, 4.3 yards per rushing attempt, and 15 rushing touchdowns. Judkins totaled the second-most rushing yards by an SEC freshman, sitting behind Herschel Walker, and became the first SEC player since Walker to reach 15 touchdowns in each of his first two seasons.

While his 1,060 rushing yards from 2024 was a career-low, this came from a career-low 194 rushing attempts. Judkins' efficiency was still elite, totaling 5.5 yards per carry while logging 14 rushing touchdowns. As a pure rusher, few prospects are better than Judkins in this class.

Our Quinshon Judkins NFL Draft profile highlights his quick feet and jump cuts paired with excellent contact balance. That has the making of a strong NFL rusher, especially when he graded as NFL.com's second-highest athleticism score among running backs. He ran a 4.48 40-yard dash at 6 foot, 221 pounds while posting a 38.5-inch vertical jump and 11'0" broad jump.

Judkins could be a successful early down back at the very least, and he has the ability to be a workhorse, which his Ole Miss days proved.

Judkins' Rookie Year Outlook

Apart of a loaded running back class, Judkins felt like one of the most "sure fire" talents. He was always flirting with a borderline first-round pick or early second-round selection. Still, his talent as a pure rusher should succeed.

Judkins didn't get a lot of work as a receiver in college, either, and his pass protection is quite limited. With that said, he could need some developing before truly becoming an every down back. Luckily, he'll team up in Cleveland with Jerome Ford, who is more than capable in that realm.

He may not have the same rookie upside as Ashton Jeanty or Omarion Hampton, and his top end speed will likely limit explosive plays. However, he's an every-down grinder that has been productive at every stop.

Nick Chubb still remains unsigned following consecutive injury-plagued seasons, so the Browns might lean on Judkins a boatload in 2025. This draft capital suggests that, too.

After Jeanty and Hampton stepped into every-down, fantasy-relevant roles right away, Judkins might have joined them on Friday. Cleveland's QB situation is a mess, but don't sleep on Judkins ability to produce behind one of the league's better offensive lines when healthy. That could be forgotten after the group's injury-plagued 2024.

Judkins was Austin Swaim's ninth-best player available entering Friday, so this is good value.

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