Quinshon Judkins was well on his way to a 1,000-yard season as a rookie with the Cleveland Browns, despite the running back getting a late start to his career and operating behind a suspect offensive line. Unfortunately, a late-season slump was followed by a serious injury, so he fell short of that milestone.
Now, with a full offseason to prepare, and an arguably improved set of blockers in front of him, Judkins could reach the mark with relative ease. That could put him among the best in the league this season.
Analyst Garrett Bush recently made a big prediction about Judkins in 2026, saying he could be among the top 15 running backs in the league.
“I guarantee that he’s going to be a better bell cow back, especially in the top 15 [of the NFL],” Bush said.
Last season, Judkins missed all of training camp while dealing with domestic violence charges that were ultimately not pursued and a drawn-out contract negotiation for a second-round draft pick. He made his NFL debut in Week 2 and quickly established himself as Cleveland’s lead back.
He had his first 100-yard game in Week 4, and posted a three-touchdown game in Week 7. Heading into Week 14, he had gained 758 rushing yards.
Unfortunately, in the next two games, he averaged less than 2.0 yards per carry before his season ended with a devastating leg injury in Week 16. He finished the season with 827 yards in 14 games, which ranked 22nd overall and third among rookies behind Ashton Jeanty of the Las Vegas Raiders and TreVeyon Henderson of the New England Patriots, who each played 17 games.
Now, with new head coach Todd Monken and offensive coordinator Terry Switzer coming over from the Baltimore Ravens, who led the NFL in rushing over the past three seasons, Judkins should see an uptick in production. He could be further helped by a rebuilt offensive line that includes tackle Tytus Howard, guard Zion Johnson and center Elgton Jenkins.
Expected to be recovered in time for the start of training camp, Judkins should be in line for an even better year in his second NFL season.
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