Most were surprised when the Browns selected Judkins 36th overall in the 2025 draft, but it's easy to make the case that Judkins was worth the pick. At 6-feet, 221 pounds Judkins has almost the exact same frame as 22nd overall pick Omarion Hampton, and Judkins' 4.48-second 40 nearly matched Hampton's 4.46. Before Judkins ran that 40 he was mostly thought of as a power specialist, because he was one of the most violent runners in college football at Ohio State (2024) and Mississippi (2022-23). Judkins' game always showed plenty of big-play ability, though, because his collegiate rushing average of just 5.1 yards per carry was largely informed by how close those carries were to the goal line - Judkins' 45 rushing touchdowns in 42 career games is a testament to how a relatively high percentage of his carries occurred in short-yardage and high-leverage situations. In other words, when a defense needs a crucial stop Judkins is one of the last people they want to see. Judkins should be Cleveland's top runner even in Week 1, though Jerome Ford is likely the favorite to play the majority of Cleveland's passing-down snaps. Fourth-round pick and fellow rookie Dylan Sampson is likely the distant RB3 in the meantime due to passing-down limitations.
