CLEVELAND, Ohio — For the first time since 2017, the Browns run game will not feature Nick Chubb.
Cleveland decided not to re-sign their 2018 draftee, and that led to Chubb moving to Houston.
A fan favorite and cornerstone of the locker room, his absence will open opportunity for remaining players and new faces.
The Browns drafted Ohio State’s Quinshon Judkins and Tennessee’s Dylan Sampson, which implies upper management views the two as their backfield of the future.
This also comes after Cleveland finished 29th in rushing yards per game (94.6), 26th in rushing first downs (5.5), and tied for 30th in total rushing touchdowns (eight). Though two of those scores came from the quarterback room.
One could argue the reason for this was the regression in blocking, or a predictable offense, but the result is what matters at the end of it all.
And the results display the run game having played like a shell of itself in 2024.
We’ll analyze how the Browns’ running back room has changed from last season to now, using data to evaluate both returning players and newcomers.
This data series will cover the strengths and flaws of each Browns position group.
Today, we dive into the running backs.
Below, we analyze data from both the 2024 NFL season and the college season to evaluate the Browns’ running back room.
Jerome Ford & Pierre Strong
These 2022 draftees are somewhat the "Last of the Mohicans,“ or at least the remaining backs from the playoff roster a couple seasons back.
Strong
As for Strong, his 108 rushing yards on 26 carries show he’s still searching for more reps in a crowded RB room.
He did a little bit of this, and a little bit of that elsewhere with 104 receiving yards and 255 kickoff return yards.
Cleveland Browns OTAs
Cleveland Browns running back Jerome Ford.Joshua Gunter, cleveland.com
Ford
As for Ford, his carries fluctuated, recording double-digit carries only five times, finishing with 565 yards on 104 carries and three touchdowns.
Analytically, Ford did finish 15th in overall run grading (80.3), and finished sixth among qualifying backs in elusive rating (106.7), per Pro Football Focus.
Elusive rating is a signature stat from Pro Football Focus that measures the success and impact of a runner with the ball, independently of the blocking.
In other words, it tracks how good a player is without the blocking from his O-line. It’s somewhat backed up by his 26 forced missed tackles.
Ford, who averaged 5.4 yards per carry, even ranked fifth in yards over expected per attempt (1.1), per Next Gen Stats. But a rebuttal to this is Ford facing eight defenders in the box only 4.81% of the time, the fewest of all running backs.
YAC
But if there’s one area these two can lead the charge in, it’s in yards after contact.
Cleveland finished 31st in rushing yards gained after contact (617), per Pro Football Reference.
As seen below, since Kevin Stefanski took over in 2020, this is the Cleveland’s worst ranking.
Year YAC Total Rank
2020 1,150 3rd
2021 1,210 1st
2022 1,067 2nd
2023 883 10th
2024 617 31st
Early on, it was Chubb and Kareem Hunt who carried the YAC category.
After Chubb’s season-ending injury in 2023, Ford, Hunt, and Strong combined their abilities to keep their earned YAC afloat, and finished top 10.
They couldn’t escape the opposing defense in 2024 after contact, and maybe Ford and Strong can help lead the change.
Quinshon Judkins & Dylan Sampson
The young bucks made a splash at the college ranks.
Let’s see how they did and what they can carry, from a data perspective.
Scenes from Cleveland Browns mandatory minicamp Wednesday, June 11, 2025 in Berea
Cleveland Browns running back Quinshon Judkins.Joshua Gunter, cleveland.com
Judkins
With the Buckeyes, Judkins split carries with TreVeyon Henderson, but still managed to finish 41st in the country in rushing yards (1,060).
He played an integral part in the Buckeyes’ 2024 College Football Playoff run, earning 100 rushing yards on 11 carries (9.1 per carry) for two touchdowns in the national championship win over Notre Dame.
He finished 12th in run grading (90.0) and only recorded one fumble, per PFF.
His 43 MTF was solid, along with 3.04 yards gained after contact, per PFF.
Cleveland Browns veteran minicamp
Cleveland Browns running back Dylan Sampson.John Kuntz, cleveland.com
Sampson
With the Volunteers, Sampson was the lone back and delivered by finishing ninth in the country in rushing yards (1,491) and tied for fourth in touchdowns (22).
He finished 12th in run grading (90.0) and only recorded one fumble, per PFF.
His 70 MTF ranked seventh among qualifying backs. And within rushing yardage on designed attempts of more than 15 yards, Sampson ranked 30th among all qualifying running backs (453), per PFF.
Designated runs going left end
The one area these backs have in common is putting in work when rushing around the left offensive tackle.
Quinshon Judkins Rushing by Direction
The totals by rushing direction for Quinshon Judkins, per PFF.Cleveland.com
Judkins recorded his most carries (49) and yards (254) on designated runs around left end. He averaged 5.2 yards per carry going in that direction, earned five scores and 18 rushing first downs.
His Buckeyes featured Donovan Jackson, a first team All-Big Ten member who played 529 of his 816 snaps at left tackle, and was taken No. 24 overall in this year’s draft by Minnesota.
Dylan Sampson totals by Rushing Direction
The totals by direction of rushing for Dylan Sampson, per PFF.Cleveland.com
Sampson recorded his most carries (49) and yards (266) on designated runs around left end. He averaged 5.4 yards per carry going in that direction, earned four touchdowns and 12 rushing first downs.
His Volunteers left tackle was Lance Heard, who tied for 12th in fewest sacks (two) allowed among left tackles from the Southeastern Conference, per PFF.
These rushing directions were likely directed by their offensive lines, but both backs still produced.
Dawand Jones will be the starting left tackle, and while he eyes his own bounce back, maybe that is something for Cleveland to take into consideration going forward.
Conclusion
The offense is like a tightrope, where the unit works better when all things align at even level.
The Browns’ offensive brand historically relates to a strong run game. And if they can display a better run game in 2025, that’s a good first step.
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