National Champion running back would thrive in Kevin O'Connell's zone running scheme
The Minnesota Vikings are going to fix the running game this offseason. How they do that is going to be very interesting, but will likely take at least one in the NFL Draft. The latest installment of our SKOL Search series focuses on a very popular name in NFL Mock Drafts for the Vikings in […]
The Minnesota Vikings are going to fix the running game this offseason. How they do that is going to be very interesting, but will likely take at least one in the NFL Draft.
The latest installment of our SKOL Search series focuses on a very popular name in NFL Mock Drafts for the Vikings in Ohio State RB Quinshon Judkins.
Quinshon Judkins
- Ohio State
- Transfer from Ole Miss
- Height: 6000
- Weight: 219
- Class: Third-Year Junior
- Recruiting info: 3-star recruit in 2022 class per 247 Sports
- Stats: 739 carries, 3,785 yards, 5.1 YPC, 45 touchdowns, 59 receptions, 442 yards, 5 touchdowns
- Games watched: Oregon 2024, Michigan 2024, Texas 2024
Strengths
- Burst: While Judkins doesn't have long speed, he does burst through the hole quickly. He's a doubles hitter at a very high level.
- NFL Frame: He is built like an NFL back. Over the course of his college career, Judkins was used as a workhorse. However, he became much more efficient when he was in a timeshare with TreVeyon Henderson.
- Pass Catching: You need to have your lead back be a good receiver and Judkins provides that. While he doesn't run a traditional route tree, Judkins is a very natural pass catcher and flashes the ability to find open space in zone coverage.
- Power: When you watch Judkins, it's evident that he runs with excellent power. His compact frame and pad level allows him to run over and through defenders.
- Scheme Versatility: Judkins can thrive in any type of running scheme. He has the vision and quickness to excel in a zone scheme paired with the power to play in a man/gap/power scheme.
Weaknesses
- Speed: Judkins just doesn't have the juice needed to be a top back in the NFL. He gets caught in the open field far too often and struggles to get the edge more often than he should.
- Pass Protection: Consistency is the biggest issue for Judkins. While he does show good technique, it's not something he shows regularly, along with throwing his body at the defenders instead.
- Patience: Far too often, Judkins doesn't display enough patience. It prevents him from being able to hit bigger runs.
Overview
| Trait | Grade |
|---|---|
Vision | 8.0/10 |
Cutback | 7.9/10 |
Long Speed | 3.5/5 |
Contact Balance | 8.2/10 |
Pass Blocking | 7.8/10 |
Break/Avoid Tackles | 12.3/15 |
Durability | 8.0/10 |
Receiving | 7.8/10 |
Quickness | 7.7/10 |
Ball Security | 7.9/10 |
Grade | 79.1 Third Round Grade |
Judkins is a talented player that is a combination of a throwback player who runs with power and a modern-day running back who can play all three downs and in any scheme. He's proven himself to have the ability to thrive doing just about everything.
Judkins could fit for the Vikings. In fact, he feels like a more athletic version of Alexander Mattison. That sounds like something that fans wouldn't want, but the biggest issue with Mattison was the lack of burst, and Judkins has enough of that at his disposal.
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