Ohio State star running back Quinshon Judkins is declaring for the NFL Draft after helping lead the Buckeyes to the national title, he told ESPN. Judkins is one of the top running back prospects in the draft class after surpassing 1,000 yards rushing in each of his three collegiate seasons.
With Judkins heading to the draft and fellow star running back TreVeyon Henderson out of eligibility, Ohio State will enter the 2025 season with a revamped backfield. The Buckeyes are also replacing quarterback Will Howard.
Judkins totaled 100 yards rushing and two rushing touchdowns on 11 carries in the Buckeyes’ 34-23 College Footbal Playoff National Championship victory over Notre Dame. He also caught two passes for 21 yards and a touchdown in the victory to cap his lone season at Ohio State with a memorable performance.
He emerged as an unlikely freshman star at Ole Miss in 2022 after registering as just a three-star high school prospect from Pike Road, Alabama. Judkins totaled 1,567 yards and 16 rushing touchdowns that season while earning CBS Sports National Freshman of the Year honors. After two all-SEC seasons with the Rebels, he became one of the top prizes of the 2024 transfer portal cycle.
By choosing Ohio State, he helped bolster the backfield of an already-strong offensive unit as Henderson spurned the 2024 NFL Draft to return for his senior season. Both players surpassed 1,000 yards rushing for the season during the CFP National Championship victory over Notre Dame.
Judkins’ NFL Draft stock
Judkins is the No. 98 player in the 2025 CBS Sports NFL Draft Prospect Rankings and the No. 5 running back. Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty, North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton, Iowa’s Kaleb Johnson and fellow Buckeye TreVeyon Henderson are the four backs ranked ahead of Judkins.
Physical running is Judkins’ strong suit. But the 6-foot, 219-pound back has also demonstrated proficiency as a pass-catcher with 59 receptions for 442 yards and five touchdowns during his career. It’s a near-certainty that both Judkins and Henderson will be selected in the first five rounds of the draft.
Impact on Ohio State
Ohio State has already taken a big step in replenishing its backfield by landing West Virginia transfer CJ Donaldson, who totaled 2,058 yards rushing and 30 touchdowns in three seasons with the Mountaineers. The Buckeyes’ leading returning rusher will be James Peoples, who totaled 197 yards rushing and two touchdowns on 49 carries in 2024 while playing sparingly.
Peoples was considered a four-star prospect and the No. 7 running back in the Class of 2024 by 247Sports. Ohio State also has two four-star running back prospects — Bo Jackson and Anthony Rogers — signed as part of its No. 5 ranked 2025 high school recruiting class.
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