Former Alabama High School Standout Hits the Ground Running for the Cleveland Browns

by Al.com

Second-round rookie Quinshon Judkins ran for 61 yards on 10 carries and caught three passes for 10 yards for the Cleveland Browns in his NFL debut on Sunday.

A former Pike Road High School standout, Judkins had a productive first outing even though he missed training camp and the preseason because of an off-the-field issue. He didn’t sign his first contract until the NFL season had kicked off.

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Judkins played 20 of Cleveland’s 73 offensive snaps in Sunday’s 41-17 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. After Judkins’ next-to-last carry went for 31 yards, expectations are the rookie running back will see more action against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, particularly with his name now on the first line of the depth chart.

I think for myself it’s just doing what my coaches and my teammates ask of me,” Judkins said. “Just going out there and doing my job. …

“I think (running-backs) coach Duce (Staley) and coach (Kevin) Stefanski do a great job at letting me know what we’re doing as far as when we’re going to prepare for a game and getting me up to speed on everything. So, like I said, them helping me be able to go out there and play fast is what I love.”

Former Alabama running back Jerome Ford, the Browns’ leading rusher for the past two seasons, is now on the third line of the running-backs depth chart after running for 31 yards on six carries and catching five passes for 23 yards against Baltimore.

Fourth-round rookie Dylan Sampson, who has 11 receptions in his two NFL games, is listed between Judkins and Ford on the depth chart.

“I can remember being a young fan of Duce Staley when he was splitting time with Brian Westbrook and Correll Buckhalter (with the Philadelphia Eagles),” Stefanski said. “They had a three-headed monster back then. So Duce has kind of seen it all, I trust Duce to the point of the hot hand. We like our guys. We like the skill sets that our guys have, so there is a balance there in making sure you’re putting all the guys in the right position to succeed.”

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.

Although prosecutors in Florida decided not to pursue charges, the NFL is still conducting its investigation to determine if Judkins ran afoul of the league’s Personal Conduct Policy.

“About the situation, glad that the prosecutors closed the case and didn’t file any charges,” Judkins said. “And I’m appreciative of that. But you know, like I said, just happy to be back in Cleveland, you know, with my teammates here, accomplish my goal. …

“I would say, you know, you learn different things and you see how important the people that are around you are, like your family, your inner circle, people that support you when you go through things like that. But, like I said, I made it through that and happy to be back.”

Without Judkins, Cleveland lost to the Cincinnati Bengals 17-16 in its season-opening game on Sept. 7. That game was at Huntington Bank Field. After making his NFL debut in Baltimore, Judkins will make his home debut against the Packers at noon CDT Sunday.

“I think it’ll be a great experience,” Judkins said, “just because it’s my first home game here in the stadium, to get to see all the fans come and support us when we get our home win.”

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.