Before this season, the Ohio State football program used the transfer portal to fill in holes on the roster. They didn't want to bring in a bunch of guys just for the sake of doing so, but they were very strategic with who they added. It ended up working out because they won the national championship.
Quinshon Judkins was one of the players who the Buckeyes added from the transfer portal. He came in from Ole Miss as a guy who had proven he could carry a high workload. They brought him in to give TreVeyon Henderson some help. Judkins did that and a lot more.
In the National Championship Game, Judkins was the best running back on the field. He had 11 carries for 100 yards and two touchdowns to go along with two catches for 21 yards and a score. He had three total touchdowns in the biggest game of his life. Now, he's headed to the NFL.
Ohio State football player Quinshon Judkins declares for the NFL Draft
According to ESPN's Pete Thamel, Judkins has declared for the 2025 NFL Draft.
Ohio State star running back Quinshon Judkins is leaving school early and will declare for the NFL draft, he told ESPN.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) January 24, 2025
His ranks as the No. 5 overall running back in the upcoming draft in Mel Kiper Jr.’s position rankings. pic.twitter.com/MuhQlh5k1t
Judkins ran for over 1000 yards and had 14 touchdowns in his lone season with the Ohio State Buckeyes. He has a shot to be a second or third-round pick in the draft. Judkins proved that he could handle a big draft load and hold up during a long season.
For Ohio State, this was expected. It's one of the reasons why they grabbed C.J. Donaldson Jr. out of the transfer portal a few weeks ago. They knew there was a good shot that Judkins bolted for the league. Their running back depth certainly takes a hit, though.
Judkins did what he came to Columbus to do, and that's winning a national title. He has nothing left to prove at the collegiate level. We will be watching him in the NFL for years to come.