The Cleveland Browns had one of the strongest rookie classes last season, if not the strongest. As such, it's easy to get carried away by the biggest names. Tight end Harold Fannin Jr. made it tough to notice wide receiver Isaiah Bond. Linebacker Carson Schwesinger's Rookie of the Year campaign completely masked a strong second-half run by defensive tackle Mason Graham.
That may have also been the case with Dylan Sampson. The former Tennessee star got off to an electric start to his career, but he took a back seat as soon as Quinshon Judkins set foot on the field.
That's why, despite his intriguing skill set and the solid flashes he showed as a rookie, no one seems to be talking about Sampson right now. After the team added no major competition to its running back room this offseason, Sampson has a chance to be one of the team's most explosive playmakers in 2026.
Dylan Sampson could become a dangerous weapon in Todd Monken’s offense
Sampson started two out of 15 games as a rookie. He turned 65 carries into 175 yards and 12 first downs, and while those 2.7 yards per carry are far from impressive, that's not necessarily what he was on the field to do. He was much better as a pass catcher, hauling in 33 of 40 receptions for 271 yards and two scores, averaging 8.2 yards per reception.
Like Judkins, Sampson struggled behind a subpar offensive line. Poor quarterback play and a negative game script also didn't do much to help the running game.
Sampson averaged 1.86 yards per route run, according to Pro Football Focus, while also forcing eight missed tackles. Browns quarterbacks had a 118.0 passer rating when targeting him. He was absolutely elite in short-center routes, logging a 93.5 receiving grade and hauling in 10 of 10 targets for 95 yards, averaging 2.97 yards per route run.
The Browns already have a speedy home-run hitter and true workhorse in Judkins, but Sampson could bring an entirely different skill set to the table in Todd Monken's up-tempo offense. He's got great hands and an impressive ability to turn the corner and make defenders miss. If they don't take him down on the first try, he's a one-play touchdown waiting to happen.
Sampson is sneaky and twitchy, and his acceleration helps him get off to the races in the blink of an eye. Pass-catching backs give teams the ability to get creative, and with Monken bringing new pre-snap motion concepts to the offense, the former fourth-round pick won't be overlooked for much longer.
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