Dylan Sampson 2025 NFL Draft

Dylan Sampson 2025 NFL Draft

I don’t think we even need to hide this one. Dylan Sampson is one of my favorite running backs in the draft, and he will be for you, too, after you read this. I have a lot to get to so I don’t even want to cheese this intro paragraph more than I have to. Here is your 2025 NFL Draft profile on the Tennessee running back.

NFL Draft Stock Report: Week 4, Week 6, Week 7, Week 8, Week 10, Week 12, Week 14, College Football Playoff First Round

Sampson, 20, was a four star prospect out of the state of Louisiana coming out of high school. The Baton Rouge native was the 24th-ranked running back during the 2022 cycle and spent all three collegiate seasons with the Vols.

I don’t care what anybody says. He’s way better than Jaylen Wright. Sampson has that same level of explosion, except he’s actually a real running back. Anyone who is surprised Wright didn’t do anything last year, maybe you should trust the guy writing this post, cause I tried to warn you. I just think it’s important to bring up Wright because those two shared carries in 2023. Sampson got some work as a freshman, too, but his 2024 season, when it was his backfield, is probably the stuff to really hone in on.

The 2024 season for Sampson was absolutely incredible. The list of accolades here paints a pretty accurate picture of what happened. He was named the SEC Offensive Player of the Year, First-team All-SEC RB, and All-Purpose team. Sampson compiled 258 carries for 1,491 yards and 22 rushing touchdowns a season ago. Oh, and add in 20 receptions for 143 yards as well. Putting those numbers up in an expanded SEC is no joke. What also can’t be ignored is that he got nicked up in the playoff game against Ohio State, and the offense totally crumbled without him. Sampson was the offense for the Vols last year.

All of the stock notes are there for you at the top to read through them. What I will say is that if you watched Sampson, it looked like Jackson Law playing the college football video game series with Arkansas State. Virtually all of his production came out of the shotgun. It’s a funky offense that’s run at Tennessee and he had success against a lot of light boxes protecting against the air attack. Outside of that, the one thing that’s undeniable with Sampson is his burst and speed.

No 40 time for Sampson at the Combine, but I also don’t think we need one for him. No question the speed element is here. I was more thrilled about the fact that everything he did during the on-field portion looked fantastic. All of the knee bend stuff I look for, he aced. Sampson was arguably the best performer for the backs at the Combine, and that link is available for you at the top of this paragraph. Hey, 13 bench press reps for a speed back matters too. He’s not weak.

He’s not just some dinky speed back either. The Tennessee product checks in at 5-foot-8, 200, and has no issue running between the tackles. I’d argue Tennessee could have used him more as a pass catcher. He was really a pure runner for them compared to gadget guy Wright the year before. His cuts and spin moves are very impressive. Actually gets the job done in short yardage, but more than anything, he has a nuance to his game and knows how to manipulate defenders to create extra yardage for himself.

If you’re looking for reasons to be hesitant, there is one glaring one that can’t be ignored. It’s a big reason why he’s not at the top of the list for me. Ball security is job security, and the fumble issues are a problem here. Four fumbles lost a season ago are far too many to spend a premium pick on. I wouldn’t exactly call him a great pass protector either.

Jake Briningstool 2025 NFL Draft Profile

I have a round 2-3 grade on Dylan Sampson. I think it’s pretty safe to say this is one of the better running backs in the draft. He’s far from perfect but the traits he does have make me feel pretty good about his chances to be a positive, impactful contributor as a speed option in a committee.

Comp = 5-10% worse, Jamaal Charles

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