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Dylan Sampson declares for NFL Draft after record-setting year at Tennessee
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Dylan Sampson has declared for the 2025 NFL Draft, officially forgoing his final season of collegiate eligibility and saying goodbye to Tennessee.
Sampson announced his decision on his Instagram page on Friday. In a lengthy message thanking his coaches, his teammates, and his family, Sampson also acknowledged Tennessee fans, saying, “Knoxville has become my home and made me a better human being.” Sampson signed with the Vols as a 3-star recruit in the 2022 class and will leave 3 years later as one of the most accomplished running backs in program history.
This season, the 5-foot-11 tailback led the SEC in rushing yards (1,491), rushing touchdowns (22), points scored (132), and all-purpose yards (1,638). He was a semifinalist for the Maxwell and Doak Walker awards, and he was named the SEC’s Offensive Player of the Year. Additionally, Sampson was a first-team All-SEC selection and a consensus second-team All-American selection.
Sampson tied LSU running back Leonard Fournette (22 in 2015) for the fifth-most rushing touchdowns by an SEC player in a single season in league history. He broke the UT single-season rushing record previously held by Travis Stephens (1,464 yards in 2001) and then broke single-season program records for rushing touchdowns and total touchdowns that had stood for nearly a century.
He’ll end his Tennessee career tied for second all-time with 35 career rushing touchdowns, trailing only Gene McEver (37 from 1928-31). His 13 career 100-yard rushing efforts are tied for the third-most in UT history. His 2,486 career rushing yards are the ninth-most in UT history.
Sampson’s final season ended in disappointment, as injury limited him to just 2 carries for 6 yards in a College Football Playoff first-round loss to Ohio State. But prior to that, Sampson topped 100 yards in 10 of his 12 games, becoming just the second back in Tennessee history to go over the century mark in a game 10 times in one season.
His draft stock is tough to square at this point. Despite the accolades, he’s viewed as a mid-to-late-round selection by most publications. ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. ranks Sampson as the 10th-best running back in the 2025 NFL Draft class.
Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.
