Quinshon Judkins: Why College Football’s Breakout Star Is Dominating the 2025 Preseason Buzz

CLEVELAND — Rookie running back Quinshon Judkins is suddenly the most talked-about name in Berea again, and not because of anything he did on the field. On NFL cut-down day the Browns still hadn’t signed the No. 36 overall pick, leaving his four-year, $11.4 million slotted deal in limbo while the league continues a Personal Conduct Policy review tied to a July misdemeanor battery arrest that was later dropped. Why the stalemate matters • Unsigned status: Judkins is now the only member of the 2025 draft class without a contract, meaning he has yet to report for full-contact practices. • Roster math: Because he hasn’t signed, the Browns were not forced to count him against Tuesday’s 53-man limit, effectively granting GM Andrew Berry a temporary extra roster spot. • Financial risk: If the NFL levies a suspension, guarantees in Judkins’ rookie deal could void. Cleveland wants offset language; Judkins’ camp is pushing back. The college football loophole Pro Football Talk first floated the idea that Judkins could exploit a seldom-used CBA clause allowing drafted but unsigned players to re-enroll in school and re-enter the draft a year later. Sources at Ole Miss and Ohio State have already gauged NIL collectives in case the sophomore rushing record-holder attempts a surprise return, although league and team officials still view that scenario as “remote.” What the Browns are weighing 1. PR optics: Owner Jimmy Haslam endured six weeks of headlines after Deshaun Watson’s legal saga; another off-field controversy is the last thing the franchise wants. 2. Depth chart calculus: Nick Chubb is 30 and on a one-year prove-it deal after ACL surgery; backup Jerome Ford just returned from a hamstring tweak. Missing on Judkins could leave Kevin Stefanski without a true bell-cow. 3. Cap strategy: Delaying the signing pushes Judkins’ first cap hit into the week he actually inks, preserving roughly $2.5 million in 2025 space for an in-season move. Judkins’ leverage The 20-year-old knows Cleveland invested a top-40 pick after his 3,228 college rushing yards and 32 TDs at Ole Miss. Returning to campus could net seven-figure NIL money and allow him to re-enter the 2026 draft without the current investigation attached to his name. But sources close to the player say he “still prefers to play Sundays” if a fair guarantee structure is presented. Timeline to watch • Sept 3 – Players must be on the 53 to accrue a season toward free agency. • Oct 17 – NCAA mid-semester enrollment deadline for most FBS programs. • Jan 20 – Last day Browns can sign Judkins before he becomes 2026-draft eligible. Bottom line The Browns believe they landed a future franchise runner, yet the stalemate is stretching into Week 1 preparations. Whether Judkins reaches terms, forces a trade, or detonates the CBA loophole, Cleveland’s backfield — and the 2025 playoff picture — may hinge on the next handshake or the next legal brief.