Quinshon Judkins NFL Draft: Best landing spot for Ohio State RB

In a 2025 NFL Draft class loaded with talent at the running back position, Quinshon Judkins has proven to be one of the most well-rounded, reliable work-horse ball carriers in the bunch. Judkins just wrapped up a junior season with Ohio State in which he helped the program win a national championship.

His power-running and natural pass-catching abilities could make him an intriguing option for general managers and scouts at the next level. As ESPN's Mina Kimes pointed out on Friday, Judkins possesses an uncanny combination of both tackle-breaking ability and smoothness.

Judkins played his first two seasons of college football with the Ole Miss Rebels. In his freshman season, Judkins rushed for a collegiate career-high 274 attempts for 1,567 yards and 16 touchdowns. He also showed off his ability in the receiving game, catching 15 passes for 132 yards and a score.

After his production took a bit of a dip in his sophomore season, Judkins transferred to Ohio State University in January 2024. As a junior with the Buckeyes, he only ran the ball 194 times, the first time in his collegiate career that he finished a season with under 200 rushing attempts, earning 1,060 yards and 14 touchdowns. Judkins also caught 22 passes for 161 yards and two scores.

In a loaded running back group as part of this year's draft class, Judkins is considered by many to be a top-five player in his position group.

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Where will Quinshon Judkins land in the 2025 NFL draft?

Quinshon Judkins, NFL: Combine (Source: Imagn)

With many teams looking for a running back in the NFL at the moment, one franchise that could look at Quinshon Judkins as a first-round option could be the Pittsburgh Steelers. Charles Robinson, senior reporter for Yahoo Sports, linked the two sides back in March.

"Keep an eye on Judkins potentially scooting into the first round of the draft to a team that mirrors his style of play at the position and has a need for a long-term running back solution (*cough* Pittsburgh Steelers)," he said.

The Steelers' leading rusher last season was Najee Harris, who rushed for 1,043 yards and six touchdowns on the ground off 263 carries. He was also beneficial in the receiving game, catching 36 passes for 283 yards but had no receiving touchdowns. Harris has since departed for the Los Angeles Chargers in free agency.

He leaves behind a significant void in the Pittsburgh offense with his departure. Perhaps longtime head coach Mike Tomlin and company could look to Judkins to step up to the plate by selecting him in the 2025 NFL draft later this month.