Vols' RB Dylan Sampson selected 126th by the Cleveland Browns
The 2025 NFL Draft is underway, and record-setting Tennessee Volunteers Running Back Dylan Sampson is officially off the board in the 4th round after being selected with the 126th pick by the Cleveland Browns.
Sampson’s career in Knoxville and the record-setting 2024 season ended on a sour note as he was sidelined for the majority of the first-round playoff game against Ohio State with a hamstring injury, but Sampson still set new Tennessee program records for single-season rushing yards, with 1,491 yards, and touchdowns, with 22.
Sampson ran for a season-high 178 rushing yards in the win at Vanderbilt on November 30, helping his team punch a ticket to the new 12-team College Football Playoff. But he was injured late in the game, missed practice time in the lead up to the playoff game and couldn’t stay on the field against the Buckeyes after playing on the first drive of the game, then only briefly in the second half.
Sampson has received plenty of praise in the lead-up to the 2025 NFL Draft, including recently from long-time analyst Mel Kiper, and he projects a running back that should see early opportunities.
“I just love watching Sampson take off when he gets into space,” Kiper wrote. “He’s a home run waiting to happen every time he touches the ball. He had 12 runs for 20 or more yards last season — tied for 15th in the country — en route to 1,491 rushing yards and 22 rushing TDs. I see burst and conviction on the tape — he sees the hole, commits and explodes through the gap. At 5-foot-8 and 200 pounds, Sampson runs with fierceness and contact balance, with 820 of his yards coming after first contact. Those traits are also useful at the goal line, where he can power in for six points. Inside 3 yards, he scored on eight of his 11 carries last season. To top it all off. Sampson catches the ball well out of the backfield (37 receptions over the past two seasons) and is willing to step up as a blocker. That gives him some third-down upside in addition to his rushing ability.”
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About this year’s NFL Draft
The 2025 NFL Draft will take place from April 24–26th in Green Bay, Wisconsin, right outside the legendary Lambeau Field. It’s the first time Green Bay has hosted the draft, and they’re turning the whole Titletown area into a football fan zone for the weekend.
The Draft opens on Thursday night, April 24th, with the first round kicking off at 8 p.m. ET. On Friday, April 25th, rounds two and three begin at 7 p.m. ET. The draft wraps up on Saturday, April 26th, with the final four rounds starting at noon ET.
If you’re looking to tune in, you’ve got plenty of ways to watch—NFL Network, ESPN, ABC, and ESPN Deportes are all carrying the draft. Streaming options include NFL+, ESPN+, YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, Fubo, and Sling.
