Out of Dutchtown High School in Geismar, Louisiana, Dylan Sampson was rated as a three-star recruit in the class of 2022 according to the 247Sports Composite. He was ranked as the 444th overall prospect in the country and the 36th-best running back in the class. Not expected to play a big role as a freshman, Sampson forced his way onto the field as Tennessee’s third running back and proved to be a dynamic, valuable piece of the Vols high octane offense.
During his first season on campus, Dylan Sampson ran for 397 yards and six touchdowns on 58 carries. His 6.8 yards per carry led the team in 2022. In 2023, he was expected to serve as the team’s third running back again, but he quickly became Tennessee’s RB2 after not seeing the field in an early season loss at Florida. He went on to run for 604 yards and a team-leading seven touchdowns on 106 carries.
Dylan Sampson as a Player
At 5’11” and 201 pounds, Dylan Sampson has been able to put on good weight during his time at Tennessee. Initially arriving on campus at 180 pounds, Sampson was originally thought to just be a smaller, change of pace back. He has done a solid job of dispelling that notion, as he is now one of the nation’s premiere running backs.
Sampson runs with varying speeds, changing his tempo from in-between the tackles and running in the open field. He waits for his blocks to develop and uses his elite vision to anticipate what to do once he reaches the second level. He has terrific suddenness and burst and uses his strong lower half to absorb hits and bounce off tackles.
Go back to 2015 and 2016 and watch another number six named Alvin Kamara from the University of Tennessee. Now turn on Dylan Sampson’s 2024 film and you’ll see very similar players. Their running styles and body types are nearly identical. Kamara was listed at 215 pounds, but Sampson looks just like him on the field. They both are shifty and patient but also provide great value in the passing game.
Dylan Sampson Devy Outlook
Coming into the 2024 season, Dylan Sampson was a bit of an afterthought when it came to the 2025 NFL Draft. He was even a bit of an afterthought among devy players too, as his teammate Cam Seldon was seen as the better prospect. After the first quarter of the season, he is now seen as a day-two selection and future starter in the NFL.
As mentioned above, his similarities to Alvin Kamara are uncanny. His ability to add value in the passing game makes him a value for NFL teams. While guys like TreVeyon Henderson, Ollie Gordon, Quinshon Judkins, Devin Neal, and Nicholas Singleton have been viewed as the best running backs in the draft, Dylan Sampson has fought his way into that discussion. In my devy rankings, Sampson is the overall RB8 and the RB6 for the 2025 NFL Draft. His skill set and durability give him a higher floor than some of the others in front of him, so he isn’t far behind them in value.
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