Tennessee running back Dylan Sampson is among the best players at his position in the 2025 NFL Draft. Sampson seized the Volunteers’ backfield this past season, rushing for a dynamic 1,491 yards and 22 touchdowns. He also displayed athleticism and fluidity at the NFL Combine, putting a bow on a successful pre-draft process.
Sampson recently spoke exclusively with The Draft Network. Sampson discussed biding his time at Tennessee, his breakout 2024 season, the traits that make him a special running back prospect, and more.
JM: You played behind NFL-caliber backs in Jaylen Wright and Jabari Small during 2022 and 2023. What did you learn from watching those older vets?
Dylan Sampson: From the moment I came in, those guys taught me how to be a pro in college. They taught me how to conduct myself on and off the field. They helped me take my game to the next level. We learned so much from each other, playing with them and behind them.
JM: You didn't disappoint when your opportunity arrived in 2024. You seized the backfield by rushing for 1,491 yards and 22 TDs. Besides more carries, what changed for you?
Dylan Sampson: I think it was really just about having more opportunity. I think I would have been capable of posting the same numbers earlier in my career. I knew the opportunity would arrive after my sophomore year though, going into my junior year.
I just turned everything up a notch. It was a pretty regular offseason schedule for me. I tried to get bigger, stronger, and faster, just like everybody tries to do in the offseason. I improved my football IQ as well. To be honest with you though, it was just about having more opportunities to be RB1.
JM: The touchdown totals (22) don’t even sound realistic (laughs). Those are Madden numbers. What do you think it is about your game that allowed you to find the end zone so consistently?
Dylan Sampson: I have to give a lot of that credit to my teammates. Our offensive line did a phenomenal job. As far as myself, I feel like I play with a ton of tenacity. Every running back should always want to reach the end zone on every run. That’s our main goal, especially when in the red zone.
I’m not going down on first contact. I’m trying to score a touchdown.
JM: Contact balance, vision, short-area quickness. Three incredibly important traits. You have all of them at your disposal.
Dylan Sampson: Like you just said, those three traits are incredibly important. When it comes to having vision, you either have it or you don’t. It’s not coachable. Some people are better at it.
I’ve studied a lot of running backs over the years. I love watching Reggie Bush, Alvin Kamara, and Le’Veon Bell. Guys like that play or played the game in such a different way. That’s how I approach the game.
You can work on those traits every day in practice, but your instincts have to take over on game day. That ability to take a game over, you either have it or you don’t.
JM: I absolutely love that answer. It can’t be coached. What was your experience like at the NFL Combine? You participated in a couple of the drills, putting up some good numbers.
Dylan Sampson: It was a great experience, a once-in-a-lifetime experience. To be in Indianapolis for a couple of days with the rest of the top prospects in this draft class, it was surreal. I watched a lot of those guys throughout the season.
Having all of the NFL personnel in one building at the same time, it’s definitely special. To go out there and make a good impression in meetings like I did, I also showcased smoothness in my drills as a route-runner. It meant a lot to me. I did what I needed to do.
JM: It was definitely a successful showcase for you. Tennessee was a lot of fun to watch on offense and you are a big part of that. Inside zone, outside zone, power/gap, you've done it all. Which was your favorite?
Dylan Sampson: I love counter runs. I think I have a good pace and tempo for it. A lot of great things can happen on a counter run. I love getting two pulling blockers out in front of me. I just love it.
JM: Is that the play in Tennessee’s playbook that got you most excited?
Dylan Sampson: It was up there, yeah. It depended on the situation. Maybe it was an outside-zone play. If it’s third down and I see a light box, we can call a counter run. I love counter (laughs). If they gave me a counter run, I expected to do something special every single time. I don’t even care how loaded the box was.
JM: You made a lot of magic happen on those counter runs. You talked about being smooth as a route-runner at the NFL Combine. Do you feel like there's some untapped potential for you in the passing game? You were more of a high-volume rusher in 2024.
Dylan Sampson: I definitely do. The pass-catching aspect of my game, that’s what I was most looking forward to displaying at the NFL Combine. Whatever routes they wanted me to run, I wanted to show the scouts that it is a part of my game.
I have natural abilities as a route-runner, even though I haven’t been able to fine-tune it and display it as much as I could. I believe I could be a true asset for any team in the passing game.
JM: We love that. Did you have any formal interviews at the NFL Combine, and do you have any team visits coming up?
Dylan Sampson: I had a good amount of formal interviews at the NFL Combine. I also just had an in-person visit with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
JM: We've appreciated your time today. This has been a fantastic conversation. What kind of impact is Dylan Sampson going to make at the next level?
Dylan Sampson: My plan is to be a playmaker right away, an instant contributor. First things first though, I want to immerse myself in our locker room culture. I want to be somebody who pushes the needle forward. I want to become a leader.
I’m going to be somebody the organization doesn’t have to worry about on or off the field. I’m going to take my game to the next level. I’m going to shock the league.
