The Browns' 2025 draft class featured quite the cast of characters. From Mason Graham to Carson Schwesinger to Harold Fannin Jr., several of Cleveland's picks land somewhere between promising prospects and bona fide building blocks. That doesn't even include players like Shedeur Sanders and Dylan Sampson, each of whom had at least a few promising moments as rookies.
Bleacher Report went about identifying each team's most important second-year player, and the aforementioned Graham got the nod from author Brad Gagnon. It's sensible, as the weight of being the No. 5 overall pick isn't lost on anyone. Despite not playing the exact same position, Graham's proximity to Myles Garrett's old spot on the defensive line inherently enhances the microscope on his play as a sophomore.
In reality, all of Cleveland's 2025 draft picks are facing varying levels of pressure, and in the NFL, if someone's not improving, they're getting worse. They're all expected to take a leap. For my money — and with no disrespect to any of the promising players mentioned so far — the Browns' most important sophomore is actually running back Quinshon Judkins.
2026 is gearing up to be a breakout year for Quinshon Judkins in a myriad ways
Quinshon Judkins joined the Browns as the No. 36 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. His rookie season was solid if unspectacular, as he served as the focal point of an admittedly anemic offense that failed to fulfill its end of the bargain on a consistent basis. Through 14 games, he logged 230 carries for 827 yards and seven touchdowns, before a fractured fibula and dislocated ankle prematurely ended his season.
That stat line was good enough for third among rookie running backs (by yards), but 2026 is shaping up to be a much bigger year for the former Buckeye. To begin with, the 2025 Cleveland Browns' offensive line played like they had an axe to grind with their running backs. According to Stat Rankings, Quinshon Judkins ranked 51st (and Dylan Sampson 65th) out of 65 running backs in average yards before contact, among those who carried at least 50 times.
With a 1.47-yard average before contact, Judkins saw his greatest strength neutralized — his buildup. He is not a scatback whose superpower is shiftiness; he's a 220-pound thumper who needs a few steps to get his power going. For context's sake, the league leader in this category was fellow rookie and former Ohio State teammate TreVeyon Henderson at a 3.27-yard clip. This helps bridge the gap between Judkins' 3.7 average yards per carry and Henderson's 5.1.
Judkins was likely over the moon to see general manager Andrew Berry go with wholesale changes along the offensive line for 2026. With the additions of first-round pick Spencer Fano, free agents Elgton Jenkins and Zion Johnson, and trade acquisition Tytus Howard, Judkins should see a considerable uptick in room to run and subsequently gash defenses with his rumbling style. It's not out of the question that he's among the league's top five rushers next season.
It doesn't end there. The biggest vote of confidence for Judkins is what the Browns didn't do. They didn't make a single addition to their running back room outside of a pair of undrafted free agents, despite the fact that they're embarking on a new chapter under first-year head coach Todd Monken.
The vision is clear as day that Monken views Judkins as the engine of his offense in 2026. What's more, the team's dubious quarterback situation foreshadows an offense that leans on the running game considerably. It won't be new for Judkins — he faced the league's highest rate of eight or more defenders in the box at 45.22 percent (according to NFL Next Gen Stats) in 2025. This time, though, it'll be a fair fight.
For Browns fans, hopefully it means the team is grinding out tough wins with quarterback play that isn't holding the offense back. For fantasy football players, Judkins may wind up a champion in 2026 regardless of the Browns' record.
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