Quinshon Judkins embracing Ohio State, not worried about Ole Miss reaction

COLUMBUS – Not many would have predicted Quinshon Judkins will play his final season of college football at Ohio State.

The 2022 SEC Freshman of the Year could have had his pick of the school in the transfer portal when he entered college football’s free agency earlier this month. Any team in the SEC would have lined up to add the 2023 All-SEC First Team selection. But heading to the Big Ten to play for the Buckeyes?

That was not an expected landing spot.

He won’t be the lone No. 1 running back in Columbus. Instead, he will partner with TreVeyon Henderson to form one of the top backfields in the nation. Arguably the top two 2025 NFL draft prospects at the position, they’ll bounce off each other to help Ohio State find its way back to the College Football Playoff.

“You know, I’ve done some great things at Ole Miss,” Judkins said. “I learned a lot. But just for me in my third year, you want to be somewhere at a place like Ohio State. Great culture, great teammates, great coaches. The best players and the best fanbase.”

The Buckeyes took offseason angst and turned it into fuel for the transfer portal. Caleb Downs and Will Howard have turned heads. Judkins is another premier pickup.

Why he exactly left Ole Miss is a question he danced around on Wednesday. Sources had previously indicated to On3 that the Rebels and Judkins had been in talks about his NIL package for roughly 10 days leading up to his decision to enter the portal. Sources have also indicated that the running back was one of the highest-paid at his position this past season.

When asked if NIL factored into a decision to transfer to Ohio State, Judkins responded by saying it was “not a factor” and his top priority is to play football. NIL has become a key piece in attracting and retaining top talent in the sport.

“It was crazy, lot of different things that were – a lot of different emotions,” he said. “It’s a business. You have to understand that people won’t always be happy with the decisions you make when it’s best for yourself.”

With 2,725 career rushing yards and 31 touchdowns, there’s little questioning about what he can bring to the Ohio State rushing game. Known for his elusiveness and home-run abilities, he referred to Christian McCaffrey and Alvin Kamara as the top backs he likes to watch and shape his game on.

He’s also started to watch Jahmyr Gibbs, who was with Bill O’Brien at Alabama. Gibbs rushed for 926 yards in his lone season in Tuscaloosa. Coming to Ohio State ensures that Judkins will get quality carries while saving some of his mileage for the next level.

Following his decision to leave Ole Miss, there was clearly animosity in Oxford. Lane Kiffin live-tweeted, almost eluding to the Rebels landing a new running back. His former quarterback, Jaxson Dart, posted a cryptic message.

Quinshon Judkins is not caught up in any hurt feelings he may have caused, though. He’s now in Columbus with his priorities set on winning a Big Ten title and national championship.

“I feel like there’s many things that have been thrown out there as far as when players go into the portal and things that aren’t true,” he said. “But it’s more than that. Players just want to elevate their game and showcase who they are.