Quinshon Judkins, fresh off a National Championship, is readying himself to a shot at the next level. The powerhouse running back showcased just how electrifying he can be when he’s on the football field this past season. With what he was able to put on display, there’s no telling how high he can be drafted in a few months.
Height: 6 ft – 0 in
Weight: 219 lb
Age: 21
Position: Running Back
College: Ohio State
College Career Summary:
Quinshon Judkins started his collegiate career as a member of the Ole Miss Rebels. As a freshman, he played 13 games, racking up big numbers, surpassing 1,500 rushing yards in the process. The following year he stuck around with Ole Miss and repeated much of what he did the previous year, surpassing 1,100 yards and scoring the same number of touchdowns at 17. Then, when the year ended, he felt like it was time for a change. He hit the transfer portal and landed with the Ohio State Buckeyes, a decision that will be looked back on fondly for the remainder of his life. He played 16 games and rushed for over 1,000 yards once again, scoring 16 touchdowns and winning a National Championship. Mind you, his numbers were put up despite working in a clear committee in the backfield, with another running back that’s declared for the draft already as well. He had to work for his snaps, and Ohio State was confident enough in his talents to consistently send him out there for more work. When it came to his accolades outside of the championship, he was the winner of the Conerly Trophy in 2022 and won SEC Freshman of the Year. On top of that, he’s a two-time First-Team All-SEC member and was an addition to the Third-Team All-Big Ten squad.
2024 Season
Games Played: 16
Yards: 1,060 rushing, 161 receiving
Touchdowns: 14 rushing, two receiving
Career Stats:
- 42 games played
- 3,785 rushing yards
- 50 total touchdowns
- 739 rush attempts
- 59 receptions
Passing/Rushing/Receiving/Defensive Metrics:
- 1 yards per carry throughout his career
- 5 yards per reception throughout his career
- 14 plus rushing touchdowns in each of his three college seasons
- 442 receiving yards on 59 receptions
Strengths:
- Has good hands out of the backfield
- Lightning speed that gives him big play ability on every snap
- Sharp cutting ability while still being willing to absorb contact
- Possesses the vision and patience necessary for zone-running schemes
- Low center of gravity, can stay upright and break through arm tackles
- Can operate on a workhorse pace
Weaknesses:
- Pass protection skills are still underwhelming
- Can get caught relying on his physical attributes too often
- Needs to diversify his route tree moving forward
- Ball security could use a small improvement
High Pressure Situations/Clutch Gene:
Judkins has put together a couple of really nice performances in high-pressure games and situations. Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean he’s completely avoided catastrophe in these situations. In his draft profile, it is listed that he could use some work as a ball carrier, mostly due to some fumbling issues (though not major). This is because Judkins has lost a couple of fumbles at very poor times throughout games during his collegiate career, something that has to be cleaned up at the next level, or else he’ll play himself out of a job. Luckily, this isn’t a massive concern at the moment, and we’ve seen enough of him in big games to assume that he could just be unlucky. In the National Championship game against Notre Dame, he had 11 rushes for 100 yards and two touchdowns. It was the biggest game of his career, and he dominated, and this doesn’t even mention the fact that he hauled in a receiving touchdown that night as well.
NFL Projection And Fantasy Relevance:
Judkins is likely going to fall out of the first round. Not because he isn’t talented enough, but because there simply isn’t enough room for him in that first batch of names. However, he is consistently projected to be taken towards the back end of the second round, which does make sense. This opens the door for him to land in several quality situations, which would dramatically raise the bar for his fantasy relevance. He’s often considered a player who can step in and handle a large workload immediately, and if you put him on a contending team, then his fantasy potential can skyrocket. He’d get a ton of touches, and that, coupled with his explosiveness, would be an unreal asset to have on your fantasy squad, especially in any dynasty league. Now, I could also see him getting taken in the early second round as well. Running backs can always be scouted differently, and Judkins has the type of explosiveness that might make a team bite on him earlier than anticipated so that he doesn’t go elsewhere. At the end of the day though, he is likely to make an impact on whatever team drafts him on Day One.
I like everything that I’ve seen out of Judkins so far, and the 2024 season was no different. He showcased that he belonged in the NFL with how he produced solid numbers despite working in a great committee, and while working towards a National Championship against tough opponents. He is a shifty runner who doesn’t shy away from contact, has already shown potential out of the backfield in the passing game, and can make something out of nothing on a routine basis. If there aren’t any worries regarding fumbling or long speed down the field, then he would be a steal if he slips into the end of the second or even the third round. My guess is that he won’t get passed by for too long before someone snatches him off the board. I figure him going to a competitor in need of some help in the backfield, perhaps a team like the Pittsburgh Steelers. Possibly even a team like the Dallas Cowboys or Cleveland Browns.