Dawgs By Nature
Analyzing Tennessee RB Dylan Sampson as a potential draft pick for Cleveland
The Cleveland Browns have to add depth and playmaking ability to the running back room in 2025, and this year’s NFL Draft class is loaded with options in every round for Andrew Berry and Co. to choose from.
There still hasn’t been any news on the Nick Chubb front, and the Browns haven’t signed a running back in free agency yet. Though there are some decent players left in the free-agent pool, Cleveland will most likely attack this position in the NFL Draft next month due to the amount of sheer talent and youth in this year’s cycle.
Tennessee RB Dylan Sampson is a player who could be on the Browns’ radar heading into draft weekend due to his excellent combination of speed/power, vision, and shiftiness.
Name
Dylan Sampson
Position
Running Back
Height/Weight
5’8”, 200 lbs.
College
University of Tennessee
2024 Stats: 13 games: 1491 rushing yards, 5.8 ypc., 22 TDs, 20 recs., 143 rec. yards
Career: 35 games: 2492 rushing yards, 5.9 ypc., 35 TDs, 40 recs., 342 rec. yards, 1 TD
Relative Athletic Score
N/A.
Average “Big Board” Position As of Publishing Date from Mock Draft Database
The Draft Network’s Grade/Round Value
Day 2 — Winning Starter
What an Expert is Saying
“Compact back with good instincts and run-after-contact ability that propelled him to stardom in his lone season as a starter. Sampson separates himself from other backs in the class with an impressive feel for timing, spacing and blocking scheme. He sees lane development in real time and is disciplined to stay on the designed track, but he can flip a switch and improvise when traffic mounts.
He can wiggle around tacklers or break free from their grasps. Ball security and pass protection improvement will be early priorities for his next coaching staff. Sampson plays with the instincts of a seasoned veteran and has the talent to build on what he started in 2024. “ - Lance Zierlein, NFL.com Draft Analyst
Fit with the Browns
Sampson is a compact back who uses his above-average vision and instincts to find open lanes and cutback routes at the line of scrimmage. He’s also surprisingly strong for his size, consistently running through initial contact using his powerful lower body. He does a great job of recognizing lane and hole development at the mesh point and rarely gets stopped behind the LOS.
Due to his explosiveness and anticipation in both zone and power schemes, Sampson would have a chance to be the feature back in Kevin Stefanski’s system early on in his career.
Browns Player Drafting Could Impact
Jerome Ford. As of right now, Ford is the presumed starter until proven otherwise.
Sampson has the potential and skillset to come in and take over a good portion of carries from day one as a rookie, which could end up being a good thing for Cleveland’s ground game. Sampson appears to be the better overall...
