Tennessee running back Dylan Sampson has been one of the breakout stars in college football this season, breaking onto the scene as the SEC’s top running back.
But at least one NFL Draft expert is not impressed with Sampson’s season. ESPN’s Mel Kiper didn’t include Dylan Sampson as one of his top 10 draft eligible running backs this season.
Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty, North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton, Washington’s Jonah Coleman, Ohio State’s Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson, Texas Tech’s Tahj Brooks, Iowa’s Kaleb Johnson, Oregon’s Jordan James, Pen State’s Nicholas Singleton and UCF’s RJ Harvey were the 10 running backs that landed on the list ahead of Sampson.
Through nine games this season, Sampson’s rushed for 1,129 yards and 20 touchdowns so far this season. The junior running back has broken Tennessee’s single-season rushing touchdown record and is chasing down a handful of other program records.
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A Baton Rouge native, Sampson ranks seventh nationally in rushing yards and third nationally in rushing touchdowns. He’s a top the SEC in both categories.
In his first two seasons as Tennessee, Sampson proved that he’s capable of catching the ball out of the backfield and is a dynamic playmaker who can create big plays. But as Tennessee’s bell cow back this season, Sampson has proved he can be an every down back who can consistently run between the tackles.
The only knocks on Sampson’s draft stock is that he’s a smaller running back, that he’s struggled at times in pass protection and that he’s fumbled in three straight games. Sampson’s success running between the tackles this season would likely diminish the concerns about his size.
Sampson is a junior and could return for his senior season if his draft grade remains low at the end of the season but that seems unlikely given how heavy his workload has been this season.
Sampson and Tennessee’s rushing attack face its most challenging test of its season this weekend when they travel to Georgia to face the 12th-ranked Bulldogs. Kickoff at Sanford Stadium is at 7:30 p.m. ET in Saturday night. Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit and Holly Rowe are on the call for ABC.
