Former Ohio State Buckeyes running back Quinshon Judkins is ready to attack the 2027 season after a horrific injury in 2026.
Ohio State fans only got one year of Quinshon Judkins in Columbus, but after what he did in the National Championship game, he will be accepted in Columbus, Ohio, forever.
Judkins was the perfect "yin" to TreVeyon Henderson's "yang" in the Buckeyes' run to the National Championship two years ago. Together, those two were nearly an impossible combination to defend against.
As a result, they were selected just three spots away from each other in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Judkins went with the 33rd overall pick to the Browns while Henderson went 36th overall to the Patriots.
Their seasons last year couldn't have been more different. Henderson found a lot of success in New England and helped lead the Patriots to the Super Bowl.
For Judkins, it didn't go nearly as well. His year in Cleveland was certainly a tough one, as he was running behind one of the worst offensive lines in all of the NFL but still finding tons of success while doing it.
He ran last year he carried the ball 237 times for 827 yards and seven touchdowns. He was averaging just over 3 yards per carry but was definitely the work horse in the Browns' backfield. He was well on his way to a 1,000 yard rookie season until the week 16 games against Buffalo.
Judkins caught a swing pass from QB Shedeur Sanders, and he was awkwardly chopped down. As he lay on the field, his body pointed left, and the bottom half of his leg lay limp while it pointed to the right.
Browns' fans everywhere cringed as the young star experienced the same injury that ended their former star, Nick Chubb's career.
However, Judkins got the best news possible, and it was confirmed that there was no structural or ligament damage to his leg. He was so lucky, and the road to recovery began.
Now, as he is nine months removed from the injury, the former Buckeye looks incredible on the field for year number two in the league. He looks fast, quick, strong, and explosive, which is exactly what Cleveland needs.
Judkins spoke on Monday about how he was feeling, and his response was a breath of fresh air. He said that he was "definitely fortunate" while giving kudos to the Browns' training staff. He then said that he "feels good, (he) feels the same, if not better" than he did last year.
Judkins enters year two as the Browns try to remake their roster in the hopes that they can contend in a year's time. Judkins is a centerpiece to all of that, as he is scheduled to be a key piece of the Browns' offense for years to come.
They were sold on him from his time at Ohio State, and now, if he is healthy, he will be a critical member of the Browns' team for many years to come.
