Historically under head coach Kevin Stefanski, the Cleveland Browns have been a run-first offense, though they’re often forced to pass late in games when trailing.
Stefanski relied upon the likes of Nick Chubb to carry the running game for years, but injuries ravaged the star running back’s career.
However, it looks like Cleveland might have its bellcow of the future in rookie Quinshon Judkins, who has been impressive in two weeks.
Judkins’ status for the beginning of the 2025 NFL season was unclear after he had to deal with legal issues, but he’s been made available to play, and he’s making the most of his opportunities.
Judkins had his best game to date in Week 3 against the Green Bay Packers when he took his 18 carries for 94 yards and a touchdown.
Handford Dixon has been impressed by Judkins and described how he’s been so effective thus far.
“I like him. I like him. I think the kid is showing some promise. He’s showing that he’s a dawg. He’s showing that if you give him a crease or something, he’s got great vision. When he gets that ball and is looking for a hole to run, if that hole is there, he can hit it. And he can break one too,” Dixon said.
"He's got great vision. When he gets that ball and looking for a hole to run in, if that hole is there, he's gonna hit it."@HanfordDixon29 LOVES what he's seeing from Quinshon Judkins so far this season. #DawgPound
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— The Top Dawgs Show (@TopDawgShow) September 26, 2025
Judkins was lauded in the draft for his prototypical size and physicality at the running back position, making him a perfect fit for the Cleveland run game.
The rookie may not be much of a threat in the receiving game, but his ability to identify gaps and run through them is noteworthy.
There’s still a lot of regular season left, but so far Judkins looks clearly like the best running back on the roster, and it will be exciting to see what he can do with more touches.
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