Draft Profile: Quinshon Judkins
Running Back, Ohio State
6’0, 220 lbs.
Projected: Round 2
The Steelers brass recently spent some time at Ohio State for their Pro Day. There were a number of players they could be interested in, which include Tyleik Williams, Denzel Burke and Jordan Hancock. However, they seemed to focus a lot of time on prospects on the offensive side of the ball in Will Howard and both running backs- TreyVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins.
Jaylen Warren is a restricted free agent, and the Steelers added Kenneth ‘Kenny G.’ Gainwell in free agency. There was probably hope that Warren could take the reins as the lead back which is why Najee Harris’ fifth year option was not picked up. After Warren’s injury-riddled year though it became apparent that other additions were needed.
In looking at Pittsburgh’s history of running backs it is clear that they like the bigger, power back type of runner. Players that can grind out yards and eat up the clock. So, for this profile we will look at Quinshon Judkins who fits that mold the most out of the two Ohio State running backs. Although side note- Steel City Blitz’ own resident Ohio State superfan Aaron will tell you that Henderson is the better of the two prospects in pass pro.
Strengths:
Quinshon Judkins is a powerful, aggressive runner that can handle a three-down workload. For his size, Judkins’ burst is scary. He runs behind his pads, which is imperative for a taller running back so as not to give a bigger target to defenders. Judkins has a great stiff-arm, and very good ball security. He is also great on the goal line and can pick up tough yards. His pass-blocking technique has improved year after year, especially upon moving to Ohio State. With his size and strength, he has an even higher ceiling and room for improvement in this area.
Weaknesses:
Judkins is more of a straight-line power back than he is agile and will initiate contact before juking would-be tacklers. His top-end speed is lacking, and he will get caught from behind. While he ran a 4.48 second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting combine, the numbers are a bit deceiving. Judkins 10-yard split was in the 90th percentile for his position, but his overall time was in the low 60th. While he has not shown that his pass catching is lacking, he was not used in that role often so there are still questions.
How he fits:
Quinshon Judkins is a prototypical Steelers running back. He is big and powerful, with surprising burst for his size. The aggressiveness he displays while carrying the ball along with his stiff-arm would endear him to the Steel City fanbase. While he is leaner than Najee Harris, he is also more explosive and would fit right in with Jaylen Warren as the offense’s one-two punch. Judkins may also ultimately bring more to the passing attack than his recent film shows and at 21 years old he still has time to develop.
Player Comp:
Judkins reminds me of Rashaad Penny, formally of the Seahawks, Eagles, and Panthers. Their size comparison and combine numbers are nearly identical. Penny showed flashes of what he could have been, although he ultimately never panned out. Judkins could exceed Penny’s accomplishments at the NFL level, but they have very similar physical ability coming out of college.
Conclusion:
The Steelers have seemed to lean towards smaller, more explosive running backs capable of taking it to the house in their scouting and top 30 visits. I’m also very confident in saying that Judkins will be selected in the second round- and the Steelers do not currently have a selection in that round. However, if given the opportunity I would not be shocked to see the team go back to what they are comfortable with and take a power back. Judkins definitely fits that bill. We’re just a few short weeks away from seeing how it all pans out and how the Steelers offense will be shaped going forward!
