Tennessee Football: Key Vols position unit catches a stray from NFL draft analyst
CBS Sports draft analyst Mike Renner revealed his 2025 NFL Draft big board on Monday. Renner has Tennessee Vols running back Dylan Sampson as his No. 43 overall player in the 2025 NFL Draft. Sampson, who set a Tennessee single season record with 1,491 rushing yards in 2024, declared for the NFL draft after the […]
CBS Sports draft analyst Mike Renner revealed his 2025 NFL Draft big board on Monday.
Renner has Tennessee Vols running back Dylan Sampson as his No. 43 overall player in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Sampson, who set a Tennessee single season record with 1,491 rushing yards in 2024, declared for the NFL draft after the 2024 season, forgoing his final season of eligibility.
Renner pointed out that Sampson, who he views as an "undersized" running back (Sampson is 5-foot-11/201 lbs), had to consistently overcome "poor run blocking" this past season at Tennessee.
"Dylan Sampson has elite ability to consistently find the right crease," wrote Renner. "And when he does, the undersized running back hits it at full speed. Sampson consistently overcame poor run blocking to produce in the SEC."
According to Pro Football Focus, Tennessee's offensive line's run blocking grade in 2024 was 59.6.
That was the Vols' lowest team grade from any of their position units (pass blocking was the second lowest grade at 67.6).
- Pass Block — 67.6
- Receiving — 69.4
- Rushing — 88.5
- Run blocking — 59.6
- Defense — 91.0
- Run defense — 91.3
- Tackling — 78.4
- Pass rush — 87.3
- Coverage — 87.1
- Special teams — 77.9
That's a tough look for Tennessee's offensive line, but it also just goes to show how impressive Sampson's 2024 season really was.
Overcoming poor run blocking and setting a program record for rushing yards in a season (Sampson also set the Tennessee single-season record for rushing touchdowns in a season with 22) is nothing short of incredible.
Sampson might be a bit undersized, but he more than proved last season that he's an NFL talent that should be selected no later than the middle rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft.
