Former Pike Road High School standout Quinshon Judkins will become the last of the 257 players picked in the 2025 NFL Draft to sign his contract after agreeing to terms with the Cleveland Browns.
Cleveland.com, NFL Network and ESPN reported on Saturday that Judkins would sign a guaranteed contract after missing the Browns’ training camp and preseason because of an off-the-field issue.
As the 36th selection in the NFL Draft on April 25, Judkins was due a four-year, $11.39 million contract.
On July 12, Judkins was arrested in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on one charge of first-degree misdemeanor domestic battery in an incident alleged to have occurred on July 7.
But the Broward State Attorney’s Office announced on Aug. 14 that it had decided not to pursue charges against Judkins.
“This incident was not captured on any video surveillance,” a memorandum on the office’s investigation read. “There are no independent witnesses to the incident. Although the victim had photos showing injuries sustained, there were also videos in that same time frame where no injuries were observed to the victim. Additionally, the victim’s injuries depicted in the photos could be explained by either account of the incident.
“Finally, there was a delayed report of the incident. The delay is problematic as the victim was alone on numerous occasions without the defendant, had the ability and resources to make the report without his knowledge, but chose not to do so. For the reasons set forth above, there is no reasonable likelihood of conviction, and this case is being declined.”
At Pike Road, Judkins earned All-State recognition in 2020 and 2021, when he ran for 3,016 yards and scored 51 touchdowns. The Patriots won the AHSAA Class 5A championship for the 2021 season, when Pike Road didn’t lose a game and won all but two of the 14 by at least 25 points.
In two seasons at Ole Miss, Judkins ran for 2,725 yards and 31 touchdowns before transferring to Ohio State. The Buckeyes won the CFP national championship with Judson running for 1,060 yards and scoring 16 touchdowns. In the 34-23 title-game victory over Notre Dame, Judson ran for 100 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries and caught two passes for 21 yards and one touchdown.
Although prosecutors in Florida decided not to pursue charges, the NFL is still conducting its investigation on the incident to determine if Judkins ran afoul of the league’s Personal Conduct Policy.
The Browns likely will receive a roster exemption for Judkins, allowing him to start practice without Cleveland having to cut one of its 53 active players.
The Browns kick off their season on Sunday after the Cincinnati Bengals.
Cleveland is starting its first season since 2017 without running back Nick Chubb, a four-time Pro Bowler who had been limited to 10 games in the past two years by injuries.
Former Alabama running back Jerome Ford is listed as the Browns’ starter at running back. He has been Cleveland’s top rusher the past two seasons with 813 yards in 2023 and 565 yards in 2024.
Ford is backed up by Dylan Sampson, a fourth-round draft pick from Tennessee, and Raheim Sanders, an undrafted rookie from South Carolina.
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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X at@AMarkG1.
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