Tennessee football's Dylan Sampson had a dominant season in 2024, rushing for 1,491 yards and 22 touchdowns in his first season as Tennessee's No. 1 running back.
After a successful year, Sampson wasted no time declaring for the 2025 NFL Draft, becoming the second running back out of Tennessee to be drafted in the past two years. Last year, Jaylen Wright was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
Now, Sampson looks to add his dynamic and explosive running style to any team in the league that drafts him. He could go to a contender and make an immediate impact.
The Athletic's Matt Barrows identified a few players who would be a perfect fit for the San Francisco 49ers. One of those players listed was Sampson, who would add another dynamic piece to the 49ers' already explosive offense.
"[Kyle] Shanahan and his long-time running back guru, assistant Bobby Turner, have taken all sorts of running backs since arriving in 2017," Barrows writes.
"One trait they seek is the ability to plant a foot in the ground, change direction, then quickly accelerate to top speed. It's why the 49ers brought in Joe Williams and Matt Breida in 2017, went after Jerick McKinnon in free agency in 2018 and took Issac Guerendo in the fourth round last year — they had the speed to excel on the stretch zone runs that are a crucial part of San Francisco's offense.
"At 5-11, 200 pounds, Sampson isn't nearly as big as Guerendo. He's closer to what Raheem Mostert was coming out of Purdue in 2015. All three were high school track stars, with Sampson once running the 100-meter dash in 10.48 seconds. His size also didn't deter the Vols from using him as a goal-line back. He scored 22 rushing touchdowns last season."
San Fransisco has one of the most dynamic offenses in the NFL, with superstars in the backfield and at wide receiver used in various ways. The 49ers also have former Tennessee wide receiver Jauan Jennings on the roster, who quickly became a playmaker when given the opportunity.
There is still plenty of time for teams to see Sampson work out and identify where he could fit on any roster. Sampson will be one of the six Tennessee players participating in the 2025 NFL Draft Combine ahead of the Draft in April.