The Cleveland Browns did a lot of work this offseason to improve their run game, especially in the draft. And with Kevin Stefanski taking over play calling, we should see the Browns under center more and have a more efficient ground game. For that reason alone, we should see a much more productive run game in Cleveland this season.
The expectation is that Quinshon Judkins will lead the team in carries after being an early second-round pick just a few months ago. Cleveland moved on from Nick Chubb, and the hope is that Judkins can provide a similar style between the tackles. He is a physical, hard-nosed runner who has the athleticism to rip off big runs. While he isn’t the shiftiest back, he does have long speed and a lot of explosiveness in his lower body.
Cleveland will also bring back Jerome Ford, who led the team in rushing yards during the 2024 season. Ford started just six games but did average 5.4 yards per carry and showed enough to warrant a role during the 2025 season. However, he is going to have plenty of competition for the No. 2 job.
Browns training camp could erupt if RB competition lives up to the hype
Judkins wasn’t the only running back who the Browns selected, as Dylan Sampson fell into their laps in the fourth round.
Sampson was No. 76 on the consensus board via Arif Hasan, and several draft outlets believed he was a second-round caliber player coming out of Tennessee. Sampson led the SEC in carries (258), rushing yards (1,491) and rushing touchdowns (22) during his junior season, and the expectation was that he was a lock to be a top 75 selection.
But with the 2025 running back class being one of the deepest in recent memory, he fell to the fourth round and was scooped up by the Browns. Sampson is an undersized running back who is incredibly young (doesn’t turn 21 until September), so he still needs some seasoning. But he has home run speed and can be dominant as a change-of-pace back.
Here is what Lance Zierlein of NFL.com had to say about the SEC star coming into the draft:
"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."Lance Zierlein, NFL.com
Sampson will likely open up camp as the No. 3 running back on the roster, but don’t be surprised if he pushes Ford for the No. 2 job right away. He is clearly a talented back, and the age and contract control of Sampson greatly favor him. The backfield of the future will be Judkins and Sampson, but could that also be the backfield for 2025?
Expect Ford vs. Sampson to be one of the biggest battles of camp for the Browns and for the winner to see a significant workload in Week 1 when they host the division rival Bengals to open the season. Ford is the favorite for that spot given his experience and time in the offense, but don’t be surprised if Sampson has a strong camp and ends up making the veteran expendable.