The Cleveland Browns walked into the 2025 NFL Draft with several needs to address on its roster.
The Browns made a major move on Day 1, trading back from No. 2 to No. 5 with the Jacksonville Jaguars to pick up additional draft compensation in this draft and next year’s.
Cleveland used the fifth pick on Mason Graham, shoring up their defensive line and giving Myles Garrett a legitimate pass rush partner on the interior.
However, the Browns also had two second-round picks at their disposal, and they used them on Carson Schwesinger and Quinshon Judkins.
Running back was a quiet need for the Browns, who have yet to re-sign Nick Chubb after he suffered another injury during the 2024 NFL campaign.
Judkins is a physical runner who can step into a workhorse role, and he’s already drawn comparisons to Chubb via Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com.
“His physicality, his contact balance, the way he runs with strength is something I’ve seen in Nick as an example,” Browns assistant GM Catherine Hickman said shortly after the pick. “I’m not saying that this is Nick, as what Nick means to this organization is beyond words. But what I’m saying here is this style of play is just going to fit very nicely with what we’re trying to do.”
As Catherine Hickman noted, no player can compare to what Chubb means to the Cleveland organization, but from a player profile standpoint, there are certainly similarities between him and Judkins.
Judkins was a star for Ohio State as a tough, physical runner who can break tackles and churn out extra yardage, so he’s a perfect successor to Chubb.
NEXT: Andrew Berry Gets Honest About Nick Chubb's Future
