Nick Chubb has been the cornerstone of the Cleveland Browns' rushing attack for years and also a long time fan favorite ever since he was drafted. However, as injuries started to take its toll on his body, this year's draft indicates they are ready to move on from Chubb, who is a free-agent.
Lost in the shuffle of their controversial decision to trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars — bypassing Colorado's Travis Hunter in favor of drafting Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham — they made a bold decision to draft not just one, but two high-profile running backs on consecutive days.
The Browns are fully prepared to move on from Nick Chubb after this year's draft
On Friday night, the Browns drafted Ohio State running back Quinshon Judkins 36th overall, the pick they acquired from Jacksonville. It will make both the Browns and Ohio State fans happy to have one of their heroes from the national championship team stay in Ohio. But they doubled down on the position on Day 3 by drafting Dylan Sampson from the University of Tennessee with their 126th overall pick.
Sampson was the 12th running back taken in the draft. However, NFL.com rated him the fourth-best back coming into the draft, ahead of even Judkins. So did Pro Football Focus. Daniel Jeremiah listed him as his 68th-best prospect, sixth among RBs.
Despite being listed at only 5-foot-8, 200 pounds, Sampson is a very intriguing prospect. He was named the SEC Offensive Player of the Year in 2024, as he led the conference in rushing yards (1,491), touchdowns (22), and all-purpose yards (1,638). His ability to generate explosive plays with his home run speed and vision to find daylight behind blockers made him a standout performer.
However, Simpson must improve his ball security, as he fumbled four times last season. In addition, his effectiveness as a pass-blocker and his ability to handle a heavy workload will be scrutinized due to his size. Judkins will likely be the featured back, but there is no question that general manager Andrew Berry is very excited about Sampson's potential and decided to double down on the running backs, despite other needs.
Both Sampson and Judkins are being asked to contribute immediately because their quarterback situation just got more complicated after drafting both Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders, along with Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, and holdover Deshaun Watson, who had an Achilles injury setback in the offseason.
While Chubb remains a free agent and still could come back, Berry's decisions during the draft speak loudly as one of the faces of the Cleveland Browns may have played his final down for the Browns.