Quinshon Judkins Breaks Silence: Transfer Portal Buzz, Record-Setting Stats & What’s Next

Quinshon Judkins primed for breakout rookie year as Browns clear path to starting role CLEVELAND – Few NFL rookies enter Week 1 with a smoother runway to immediate fantasy relevance than Cleveland Browns second-round pick Quinshon Judkins. The former Ohio State and Ole Miss star has spent the summer impressing coaches with his blend of downhill power and jump-cut explosiveness, and the depth chart now reads like an open invitation: only Jerome Ford and Pierre Strong Jr. remain as veteran competition after training-camp cuts. Early-down hammer in Kevin Stefanski’s refreshed offense • Stefanski’s 2025 playbook features more wide-zone looks that mirror Judkins’ collegiate bread-and-butter; beat reporters noted the 5-foot-11, 217-pound rookie took 75 % of first-team reps in joint practices against Detroit. • Offensive line coach Bill Callahan praised Judkins’ “natural backside vision,” a trait critical in Cleveland’s zone scheme. Pass-game upside being unlocked Judkins averaged only 22 receptions per season in college, but running-backs coach Stump Mitchell has deployed him on angle routes and screens throughout the preseason. In two exhibition games he caught 5 of 5 targets for 48 yards and a score, quieting concerns about three-down viability. Fantasy football impact With Nick Chubb still rehabbing and no marquee veteran signed, Judkins’ ADP has rocketed into the Round 4–5 range in 12-team drafts. Volume projection: 260 touches, 1,150 total yards, 8–10 TDs if he holds goal-line duties. What scouts loved in the draft process • SEC freshman record: 1,567 yards, 16 TDs at Ole Miss in 2022. • National-title hero: three scores for Ohio State vs. Notre Dame in January. • 4.47-second 40-yard dash and top-five 10-yard split at the combine highlighted rare burst for his frame. Locker-room fit and off-field profile Teammates rave about Judkins’ “skateboarder balance”—a nod to his Montgomery, Ala., childhood hobby that honed his low-centered running style. He has already taken a leadership role in film sessions, according to quarterback Deshaun Watson. Week 1 outlook: Bengals at Browns Cincinnati ranked 26th vs. the run last year and will be without Pro Bowl DT B.J. Hill (hamstring). Expect Cleveland to lean on Judkins early to control tempo and set up play-action shots to Amari Cooper. A 20-carry debut is firmly in play. Bottom line Search-worthy phrase: “Quinshon Judkins fantasy sleeper.” The rookie has the scheme fit, opportunity, and collegiate pedigree to crash the RB1 conversation sooner than later. Get familiar now—before the rest of your league does.