Comments from Tennessee Vols RB Dylan Sampson at the NFL Combine will make UT fans proud and disheartened at the same time
The Tennessee Vols got a huge season in 2024 from RB Dylan Sampson. A record-breaking one, as Sampson shattered the school's single season record for rushing yards, rushing touchdowns and total touchdowns while also coming in fifth in SEC history in rushing scores. However, what UT will miss perhaps the most with Sampson's departure beyond […]
The Tennessee Vols got a huge season in 2024 from RB Dylan Sampson. A record-breaking one, as Sampson shattered the school's single season record for rushing yards, rushing touchdowns and total touchdowns while also coming in fifth in SEC history in rushing scores.
However, what UT will miss perhaps the most with Sampson's departure beyond just stats and tangible production is the leadership that he provided in the Tennessee locker room.
Sampson spoke with the media on Friday at the NFL Combine, and he explained the pivotal role of being a team leader going back to his sophomore year.
"Leadership doesn't start with a position, it doesn't start with a role on the depth chart," Sampson said. "Coach Heup put me on the leadership council when I was a sophomore. I was the third running back coming off the bench. Guys like Joe Milton and the rest of the seniors trusted me to give the pregame speech my sophomore year even though the very first place I knew I was going to be on kickoff was the sideline.
"It's just about influence. Learning your teammates. Learning your players, feeling a connection, and just communicating as a whole. Like, we're in this together. You've just got to be passionate about the goals that we're trying to set, and things you're trying to do. I always tell the young guys that if you care enough, you'll become a leader, and you won't even know it."
That's something that should have every Tennessee fan feeling proud, as Sampson truly gave a spirited performance in 2024, both on and off the field. His 1491 rushing yards and 22 rushing touchdowns put him in the Tennessee record books. He was undoubtedly the engine on offense that drove the Vols to their first ever College Football Playoff appearance. Now, fans can see understand the kind of impact he had on the practice field and in the locker room.
But it's also something that Tennessee fans will be very sad to see leaving town. Leadership is something that can be hard to find at times. Some guys are natural born leaders who inspire others with their words. Some do it with their play. Regardless, the Vols now have a significant presence in their locker room missing, and someone new will have to step up to fill that void.
Yes, that happens every year. Players move on. But it's not every day you lose a program record holder and a voice like Sampson's over the last couple of years.
Hopefully for Tennessee's sake, a new leader emerges this offseason as the Vols look to find their way back to the playoff in 2025.
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