Tennessee running back Dylan Sampson (20) declared for the 2025 NFL Draft on Friday after a record-setting season with the Volunteers.
The junior running back posted the announcement on Instagram, foregoing his final year of eligibility.
Sampson set the school record for both rushing yards (1,491) and rushing touchdowns (22) in 13 games, making him the first running back to earn the SEC Offensive Player of the Year award since former Auburn back Kerryon Johnson won it in 2017.
Other running backs to win the award include Derrick Henry (2015), Tre Mason (2013), Trent Richardson (2011), Mark Ingram (2009), and Darren McFadden (2006, 2007).
Tennessee recently lost in the first round of the College Football Playoffs to Ohio State, bringing Sampson’s season to an early end.
Much like recent Michigan running back Kalel Mullings, who declared for the draft, Sampson had his lone standout year in college and is looking to ride that success in the NFL Draft.
ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. has Sampson rated as the number 10 running back in the upcoming draft, making him a projected fourth-round pick.
Sampson posted just 397 yards and six touchdowns in his freshman year with Tennessee and 604/7 the following year before his 2024 breakout season.
