CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Browns followed their opening pick of Friday night’s second round in the NFL Draft, used on UCLA linebacker Carson Schwesinger, by taking Ohio State running back Quinshon Judkins with the No. 36 overall pick that they acquired the previous day from Jacksonville.
Of course, the Jaguars took Colorado two-way standout Travis Hunter with the No. 2 overall pick from Cleveland. The Browns received the No. 5 overall pick on Thursday, which they used on Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham, and added another Big Ten player with Judkins from the national champions. They also will have Jacksonville’s first-round pick next year from the deal.
At 6-foot and 219 pounds, Judkins rushed for 1,060 yards and 14 touchdowns on 194 carries. He added 22 receptions for 161 yards and two more TDs in the passing game.
Here is what draft scouts and analysts had to say about Judkins, including his strengths and weaknesses:
Cleveland Browns pick RB Quinshon Judkins in second round of the NFL Draft, April 25, 2025
Strengths, according to Pro Football Focus — “Quick, explosive footwork in the backfield to jump caps and accelerate” with a “strong core. Impressive balance for yards after contact.”
Weaknesses, according to PFF — “Weight can get too far over his toes, causing him to lose balance” and “high pass-blocking potential, but sometimes dips his head too far and drops his eyes.”
Full PFF scouting report — “Judkins was a star running back at Ole Miss for two seasons before transferring to Ohio State. He rushed for more than 1,000 yards in each of his two underclassman seasons in Oxford, largely due to his athletic gifts. He is built like an NFL back, with a good blend of size, speed and power. That power is the root of his success.
“Judkins is strong in both his upper and lower body to run through tackles and consistently gain yards after contact. That physical play style also shows up in pass protection, where he made some devastating blocks and impressive plays in college.
“In 2024, while splitting time with TreVeyon Henderson, Judkins lacked creativity. His solid missed tackles forced average was largely from broken tackles — not making defenders miss in open space. He was less of a playmaker and more of a north-to-south runner, albeit a good one. He does not have much experience or success in the receiving game.”
Mel Kiper Jr. of ESPN — “He bursts through the whole. He has balance. I like the way he finishes runs. He’s a dependable pass receiving option out of the backfield. The ball security got better, he had three fumbles lost the last three years and got better in that regard. He lacks a little top-end elusiveness and speed. He’s a guy who fits the profile of what you want in an NFL running back.”
Dane Brugler of The Athletic — “Judkins isn’t as dynamic as other backs in this class, but he is an “attitude” runner with the quickness, vision and violence to be a productive lead option in an NFL backfield. He can help secure his spot on the depth chart by taking his passing-down responsibilities from serviceable to above average.”
Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com — “Judkins is a powerful, compact runner with outstanding career production. He is very decisive and aggressive on inside runs. He runs low to the ground and hunts the unblocked defender with a thirst for violence. He has a vicious stiff-arm, provided he doesn’t simply lower his shoulder and run through the defender. On perimeter runs, he usually looks to square up and get vertical as soon as possible. He isn’t as polished in the passing game as Ohio State teammate TreVeyon Henderson, but he’s competent as a screen/checkdown option and he’s aware in pass protection. He’s at his best in the four-minute offense. He closed out the Penn State game with one punishing run after another. Overall, Judkins has areas to improve, but he is a natural runner and he’s built to carry a full load as a starter.
Lance Zierlein of NFL.com — “Judkins is a productive runner possessing good size and great contact aggression. His running style is both urgent and a bit chaotic. He runs with good burst inside but is more collision-based than wiggle-oriented when maneuvering through the lane. He’s efficient on runs outside the tackle box, but he has a tough time outracing pursuit to create explosive runs. He is wired and built for a heavier carry count and short-yardage success, but the disparity in yards per carry between Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson, despite running behind the same line, is telling. Judkins might need to be paired with a slasher, but he has the ingredients needed to become a three-down RB1.”
Football Insider newsletter free trial: Take a minute and sign up for a free trial of our Football Insider newsletter, featuring exclusive content from cleveland.com’s Browns reporters.
