Carolina Panthers could draft Dylan Sampson
A prospect who has broken out hugely this year is Tennessee running back Dylan Sampson. The former four-star high school recruit became the Volunteers' leading rusher in the 2024 season, compiling almost 1,500 rushing yards and 22 touchdowns.
His 22 scores on the ground were the fifth-most throughout college football. While Sampson is nowhere near the level of Ashton Jeanty — a sure-fire first-round pick and a strong candidate for the Heisman Trophy — he's a dynamic presence who could represent decent value for the Carolina Panthers if they went in this direction.
With Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava struggling at times during his freshman season, head coach Josh Heupel has leaned heavily on the run game. This is a far cry from the pass-heavy offenses we’ve seen from the Volunteers with the likes of Detroit Lions signal-caller Hendon Hooker under center.
Sampson possesses incredible speed and quickness that could make him a real game-changer at the next level. This could also provide a home-run presence at running back that the Panthers desperately need with Jonathon Brooks facing another significant spell on the sidelines.
While Chuba Hubbard has been exceptional this year, he is more of a bell-cow running back. Having someone capable of turning the smallest creases into whopping gains would be a tremendous asset for Dave Canales to call upon.
The Baton Rogue native is projected by many to be a Day 2 pick, especially considering Sampson is expected to test well throughout the assessment process. Could Carolina spend another high-value pick on a running back to compensate for Brooks' absence?
While this seems unlikely, Sampson has all the abilities to be incredibly productive at the NFL level. This could tempt general manager Dan Morgan if the respected front-office leader believes he can fill other key needs through other means.
Time will tell on that one, but Sampson has the skill set that typically translates well to the pros.