The NFL Draft is hours away from kicking off in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and Tennessee, and football is looking to send a few more players to the National Football League.
One of those players is Tennessee running back Dylan Sampson. He carried the Vols' offense last season, picking up where Jaylen Wright left off after being drafted by the Miami Dolphins.
Sampson rushed for a career-best 1,491 rushing yards and 22 rushing touchdowns last season, setting the program record for most rushing touchdowns in a season.
His success should have him at the top of NFL GM's draft boards for running backs ahead of this year's draft. ESPN NFL Draft Expert Mel Kiper seems to agree that Sampson deserves to be near the top of the list for running backs in this year's draft class, calling him a "home run waiting to happen."
"he's a home run waiting to happen" 🎇@MelKiperESPN#GBO 🍊 pic.twitter.com/I77TTKWmYd
— Tennessee Football (@Vol_Football) April 23, 2025
"I just love watching Sampson take off when he gets into space; he's a home run waiting to happen every time he touches the ball," Kiper said of Sampson. "I see burst and conviction on the tape. ... You know what you're going to get with Sampson. He's consistent."
That is high praise from ESPN's top draft expert, who has seen the best running backs develop from dominating college to NFL stars.
Sampson undoubtedly has the potential to be one of the best running backs in the league if he is drafted and developed in the right situation.
His place on the draft board wouldn't indicate that possibility, but if the right team drafts Sampson, the rest of the NFL better watch out as he could be a "home run hitter," as Kiper says in the league.
The 2025 NFL Draft begins Thursday night with the first round at 8:00 PM ET on ESPN and NFL Network. This year, it will be the 90th annual NFL Draft, and it will be hosted in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The draft will run through Sunday afternoon as teams select future stars on the biggest stage.