He joins a fellow rookie in the backfield.
Dylan Sampson is off the board in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. The Cleveland Browns selected the Tennessee standout running back with the 126th overall pick on Saturday.
adding another piece to the RB room
Welcome to Cleveland, Dylan Sampson! pic.twitter.com/TLOotJkId8
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) April 26, 2025
Sampson waited his turn at Tennessee, then proceeded to run for 1,491 yards in his final season with the Volunteers. The former three-star prospect was initially signed as a speedster, but he worked on his body to bulk up and really become a physical runner. Josh Heupel leaned heavily on Sampson in 2024, giving him 248 carries. He responded with 22 touchdowns to lead the Tennessee offense.
Sampson averaged 5.8 yards per carry without getting too much of a break. That eventually led to some injuries, the main one coming late in the season against Vanderbilt which kept him (mostly) out of the College Football Playoff game against Ohio State.
He now joins a backfield in Cleveland that features fellow rookie Quinshon Judkins, who the Browns took in the second round. Veteran Jerome Ford is also in the fold. Nick Chubb is currently a free agent.
Sampson is the fourth Volunteer drafted so far. He joins James Pearce (Falcons), Omarr Norman-Lott (Chiefs) and Dont’e Thornton (Raiders).