2025 Rookie Profile: Quinshon Judkins
2025 Rookie Profile: Quinshon Judkins (RB) Ohio State Welcome to the 2025 fantasy football season. FullTime Fantasy‘s annual rookie reports next present 2025 Rookie Profile: Quinshon Judkins looks at the second of two highly-touted Ohio State rookie rushers. Resume Quinshon Judkins emerged as a standout running back, beginning his college career at Ole Miss before transferring to Ohio State for his junior season. At Ole Miss, he burst onto the scene as a true freshman in 2022, leading the SEC in rushing yards (1,567) and total touchdowns (17), earning First-Team All-SEC honors, SEC Freshman of the Year, and Freshman All-American recognition. In 2023, he continued his dominance with 1,158 yards and 15 rushing touchdowns, again securing First-Team All-SEC honors. Transferring to Ohio State in 2024, Judkins shared carries with TreVeyon Henderson but still delivered, helping the Buckeyes win a National Championship. He earned Third-Team All-Big Ten honors and declared for the 2025 NFL Draft after his junior year. Hailing from Pike Road, Alabama, Judkins was a three-star recruit who amassed 3,000+ rushing yards and 51 touchdowns in his final two high school seasons. College Stats 2022 (Ole Miss): 274 carries, 1,567 yards (5.7 YPC), 16 rushing TDs; 15 receptions, 132 yards, 1 TD 2023 (Ole Miss): 271 carries, 1,158 yards (4.3 YPC), 15 rushing TDs; 22 receptions, 149 yards, 2 TDs 2024 (Ohio State): 194 carries, 1,060 yards (5.5 YPC), 14 rushing TDs; 22 receptions, 161 yards, 2 TDs Career Totals: 739 carries, 3,785 yards (5.1 YPC), 45 rushing TDs; 59 receptions, 442 yards, 5 TDs Notable: Fumbled just twice in three seasons, showcasing elite ball security. Posted PFF rushing grades between 87.1 and 90.7 across all three years. Forced 78 missed tackles in 2024, leading his draft class. Measurables Height: 6’0” Weight: 221 lbs 40-Yard Dash: 4.48 seconds Vertical Jump: 38.5 inches Broad Jump: 11’0” Arm Length: 30 1/4” Hand Size: 9 1/4” Relative Athletic Score (RAS): 9.88 (elite, ranking 23rd among RBs from 1987-2025) Judkins’ combine performance highlighted his explosive lower body, with elite vertical and broad jump numbers, and his 4.48 40-yard dash was impressive for his size. His 10-yard split tied for second-fastest among RBs, underscoring his burst. Scouting Report Judkins is a compact, powerful runner with a dense, NFL-ready frame. His game is built on explosive burst, excellent vision, and uncanny contact balance, allowing him to shed tackles and power through contact. He’s a patient runner who presses the line, finds cutback lanes, and accelerates quickly through gaps. Judkins excels in gap and zone schemes, showing decisiveness and the ability to finish runs with a devastating stiff arm or forward lean for extra yards. While not a burner, his 4.48 speed is more than adequate, though he’s unlikely to rip off many 50+ yard runs in the NFL. In the passing game, Judkins is reliable but underutilized, with soft hands and the ability to handle dump-offs and screens. His route-running is limited, and he’s not dynamic enough to line up as a slot receiver. Pass protection is a work in progress; he’s willing but lacks refined technique, occasionally lunging or dropping his eyes. Overall, Judkins projects as a high-volume, early-down back with RB1 potential in the right system, though he may initially split carries. His durability, low mileage (relative to his production), and three-down upside make him a high-floor prospect for fantasy managers. NFL Team Fits Chicago Bears: Judkins could thrive in Ben Johnson’s offense, taking a David Montgomery-like role as a physical early-down grinder, complementing a speedier back. The Bears’ solid offensive line would maximize his vision and burst. Chicago holds the 39th and 41st picks, which is right around the range Judkins is expected to be drafted. Denver Broncos: Sean Payton’s gap-heavy scheme aligns with Judkins’ strengths, and he’d compete for lead-back duties in a committee. Payton’s backs often catch passes, offering Judkins a chance to grow as a receiver. Dallas Cowboys: With an uncertain RB room, Judkins could emerge as a workhorse. The Cowboys signed Javonte Williams, who has been a committe back. Additionaly, Dallas is not expecte to select a back in Round One. Cleveland Browns: As a potential Nick Chubb successor, Judkins’ physicality and decisiveness fit Cleveland’s downhill run game, though he’d need to improve pass-blocking to earn full trust. Pittsburgh Steelers: Judkins could complement Jaylen Warren, handling early downs and red-zone work in Pittsburgh’s physical, run-heavy attack. NFL Comparison Quinshon Judkins shares David Montgomery’s physical, downhill running style, blending power, vision, and contact balance to grind out yards. Both are compact (Judkins at 6’0”, 221 lbs; Montgomery at 5’11”, 224 lbs) and excel at breaking tackles, with Judkins forcing 78 missed tackles in 2024, similar to Montgomery’s tackle-breaking prowess early in his career. Neither is a true speed demon (Judkins’ 4.48 40 vs. Montgomery’s 4.63), but they maximize their burst through decisiveness and leverage. In the passing game, both are reliable check-down options without being dynamic route-runners, and their pass-blocking needs polish. Montgomery’s role as a consistent RB2 with RB1 spikes for the Lions suggests Judkins’ potential, especially in a gap-heavy scheme where he can handle 200+ carries and score near the goal line. Fantasy Outlook Judkins projects as a Day 2 pick (likely Round 2 or early Round 3) in the 2025 NFL Draft, with a chance to land as a lead back in a committee. His fantasy value hinges on landing spot, but his high floor—driven by consistent production, red-zone prowess (9 of 14 TDs in 2024 were from 6 yards or closer), and ball security—makes him a safe bet for RB2 production with RB1 upside. In dynasty leagues, he’s a top-10 RB prospect, potentially top-5 if he lands with a team like Denver or Chicago. In redraft, he could sneak into the top-20 RBs if he secures 200+ touches as a rookie. Expect 800-1,000 rushing yards, 6-8 TDs, and 20-30 receptions in a favorable situation, with growth potential as he refines his pass-game skills. Other Rookie Profiles Ashton Jeanty Tetairoa McMillian Omarion Hampton Tyler Warren
