RB Quinshon Judkins (4.25.25)
Obviously, you’re coming to a franchise that has had a star running back the last several years, in Nick Chubb. Just wanted to know how much you’ve watched Nick over the years and how much do you see some similarities in at least your style, the way you run and everything, to what Nick does?
“Definitely, you watch guys like Nick. He’s had success in college and in his career as far as what he’s done in the NFL as well. He’s an older guy in the league, and I feel like that’s a guy that you can always learn more from. And, you know, he has a lot of tools in his bag and things that he can teach to young guys like me.”
Hey, Quinshon. Congratulations. Spencer German with Cleveland Browns on SI. You’re sort of in a unique situation where you played in both the SEC and the Big Ten. Just how do you feel playing in both the two best conferences in college football prepared you for the NFL?
“Yeah, I feel like for myself, that was a positive for me. Just having to play in the two hardest conferences in college football and playing in two different environments where I feel like the SEC has a different style of play than the Big Ten as well, they’re just too different. But getting the opportunity to play in both of them has helped me excel and further my career and be better as a player. But just playing with a lot of great players as well, especially in my time at Ohio State, getting to be around so many great guys and compete against them every day also helped me too.”
What was the moment like when you got that call from the Browns? It looked like on the feed, you had stepped out of the room maybe, and your mom answered your phone?
“Yeah, I went to go get a drink. I went to go get a cup of lemonade, and I came back and my mom was like, ‘Oh s***, they’re on the phone?’ I was like, ‘What?’ So, I grabbed the phone and they were on the phone, and I was just so excited and so thrilled to be a Brown.”
How quick did you run back in the room to grab it from her?
“Pretty fast. When they revealed my name, I ran back really fast. I wasn’t that far away, I literally had just stepped away and man, my phone rang so fast.”
Obviously the Browns drafted Mason Graham yesterday, a guy you’re probably pretty familiar with having gone against him, you probably know exactly what he brings to a defense so can you talk about that a little bit? And then how excited are you to maybe match up with him in camp?
“Definitely. I played him, they are competitors. I feel like in today’s game that’s what you need, a guy that plays with passion. And I played him before, I feel like he’s a guy that plays with passion and he’s very technical in what he does and shoot, I look forward to that, man.”
How much of last year’s success with Ohio State versus how much success you had at Ole Miss last year, specifically, how much does that give you the confidence to come into this league and hope to make an immediate impact to the run game with the Cleveland Browns?
“Just because I know what it takes to win and to win a national championship. Like I said, I’ve won in high school, I won a championship and to go to the next level and win a championship in college, but I’ve always had that leadership and I know what it takes. Just the tools that you have to bring in, aside from the physicality, things that you bring to the game and athletically, what does it actually take to win a National Championship? And you know, hopefully I can go and that’s what I plan on doing is going to the next level and winning the Super Bowl for this organization.”
Quinshon, what was the pre draft process like with the Browns? And I guess clearly you were taken by surprise that they picked you at 36, but did you have an inkling that they were legitimately interested in bringing you to Cleveland?
“Definitely. I was supposed to have an upcoming visit with them, but I couldn’t make it because my mom had surgery and my dad’s birthday was coming up, he had this party so I couldn’t make it. My mom had just had surgery, so I couldn’t make it to my visit with the Browns. But throughout the draft process, I had a meeting with them at the combine and it went great. We talked about ball, we talked about off the field things as far as, you know, what do I like and about me as a person. And I felt like they got to know me more and I left that meeting feeling great about the organization.”
Can you compare the emotions between winning a national championship and now getting drafted by the Browns?
“I mean, each one gave me a different emotion of themselves. Like winning the national championship. You get to see the confetti fall, everybody just running around, it’s just like so much adrenaline that’s going through your body. And then I would say when you hear your name called on national television to where you’re going to play football for a long time. So I think those two are just two different emotions in themselves, but I definitely felt great about it, and I definitely enjoy each and every one of them.”
You and your teammate TreVeyon Henderson were both right there in the draft order. A lot of people wondered who would go first, he went a couple picks after you. What has this process been like for the both of you to go through this together, and obviously, you’re watching where each other goes and who goes first.
“I think just really being in support of each other, man, I think me and Trey have a great relationship. Like I’ve said before, outside of football, me and him truly want what’s best for each other. And, you know, whoever went first in the draft, it didn’t matter. I got to ask this question before, too, and they asked me, how would I feel if he was drafted? You know, honestly, man, I feel great about it. I think he’s a guy that deserves it. And no matter if I was drafted, if I was to be drafted first or him be drafted first, it wouldn’t have mattered to either one of us because, like I said, I know what it takes to win a national championship, and that’s what it takes. A selfless guy who truly put the program first, and that’s who we both are.”
On that note, I was just going to ask, did you have a friendly bet with him, who’d go first?
“No, we didn’t. We did not have a friendly bet. Honestly, throughout this draft process, we were just in support of each other, you know, asking how each other’s business were going and just checking up on each other’s mental and making sure each other we were both okay, doing good.”
Hey Quinshon, do you know anything about Jerome Ford with the Browns? And if so, how do you think you guys can complement each other?
“I feel like that those are those areas that, you know, just me being drafted, those are things you can always learn and figure out. But I mean, just me being a part of this organization and what I’ll bring to it, I think I’ll definitely have a lot of success, who I am as a player, what I bring to the game and how I work well with others. So a lot of great players around me and I think we can go really far.”
Hey, Quinshon, could you talk about what your plans are then after football?
“Yeah, so I plan on going back to school and getting that degree post football. That’s something that has always interested me. I have a degree right now. I’m doing human resources. But that is something else that I definitely want to get into post career. I’ve always been interested in and something I look forward to.”
You said you couldn’t make that visit because of your mom’s surgery and had other obligations, when you realized you couldn’t make that visit, did you think the realization of being maybe taken by the Browns could have ended from there? And were you surprised that they came back later?
“No, definitely not. The Browns are a great organization. They understood my situation. They understood, you know, my mom, she had just had a serious surgery and just a circumstance. So they were very understanding. And, you know, we tried to work something out before that date of the 16th where you couldn’t take a last visit because I had just had a visit with the Giants like a day before the last visit. So it just was unfortunate I couldn’t make it out there.”
I’m sure through your conversations with the Browns, you had some talk about Kevin Stefanski’s offense and I’m sure you’ve watched some of that as well. Just how do you feel that his system will maximize your skill set and how you’ll fit into this thing?
“I think I fit great in this offense. You know who I am as a player. The physicality, the vision, the elusiveness, the ability to be used outside the tackles and be in the slot and also be in one-on-one situation with linebackers. And that’s why I feel like that’s who I am as a player. And that’s why I feel like I fit so great in this offense. And this is such a great situation for me because this is the offense that I excel in because those are the things that I bring to the game. The passion as well, and the grit that you can’t coach. So that’s what I definitely look forward to for this year.”
And then as a follow up, I don’t know how much you interfaced with Duce Staley during the pre draft process in your conversations with Cleveland, but how excited are you to work with him and somebody who’s obviously done it at a high level in the NFL?
“Man, I think you’re always excited to learn from guys like that have done that at a high level and being consistent as well. You always learn things from guys like that. They always have knowledge. And those are the guys when you go into a locker room that you kind of bond to.”
Hey, Quinshon, what allowed you to score as many touchdowns as you did?
“Man, my coaches put me in a great position, aside from, you know, physically who I am as a player and what I do on the field. You know, coaches being very schematically smart, putting me in the right position to go out there and execute. And also my teammates as well, my old linemen, they do a great job of executing. They work hard, and that’s really why I succeed so much. I couldn’t do it without my teammates and coaches.”
And the Browns assistant GM mentioned your contact balance. Why are you so good in that area?
“That’s just who I am as a player. It’s something I always harped on. I am really just trying to excel at it. I feel like at this position, that’s one of the most things that change you and puts you in that 1% that everyone else can’t do. To have that contact balance in the sprint and still be able to run outside, break tackles and do things of that nature. And those are the things that others can’t do and that’s why I feel like I separate myself as well.”
A lot of people remember that final drive up against Penn State and just when you’re in that moment, how much you just sort of feed off of getting the ball over and kind of taking the will away from a defense as you’re just kind of pounding the ball against them.
“I think as a competitor, that’s who I am. I love to see the defense wear down. I love to see them when I run the ball and get 15 yards, they’re tired as hell. They don’t like that I’m getting the ball again. I can see it in their eyes. They don’t want me to get the ball again because they don’t want to tackle me. Those guys don’t want to tackle. So it’s like I look forward to those moments when it’s crunch time in the game and it’s close and you want to close the game out or whatever situation it is. I look forward to being the player that has the ball and going to make an impact.”
You got a taste of it in Columbus with Ohio State, obviously, but the state of Ohio is notorious for their passion for football. How much are you looking forward to getting acclimated to the Dawg Pound and the fan base here with the Browns?
“I look forward to it, definitely. I had a lot of different events here throughout my draft process or before my draft process where I had to autograph signings and just to meet so many people from Ohio. A lot of them are Cleveland Browns fans and the way they embrace this culture of what it takes to be a Cleveland Browns fan and what it’s like to be a part of this organization. So I definitely look forward to it. I get to stay home and do something special, so I’m super excited and happy.”
I was curious if you’ve heard from Ryan Day yet and what he had to say about staying in the state of Ohio.
“No, but he probably is. He probably called me as well, but I definitely will call him tonight. We talked to my position coach (Carlos Locklyn). I saw him call me once I was drafted. You know we’re just so excited about the situation here and what I can do and who I am as a player and what I’ll bring to this team.”
I was wondering how you’re feeling about the Browns first round draft pick Mason Graham. Is there going to be some beef that needs to be squashed to start the season?
“Nah, it’s no beef, man. Like I said, it’s one team. We all have one vision, which is to win. And like I said, the guy I’ve been my whole career just putting team first and doing what I can to help this organization win.
Where are you physically watching the draft and how many friends and family do you have with you?
“So right now I’m watching the draft in Atlanta, Georgia. I have my intermediate family and my outside family as well. And then just a lot of people that I get along with as well, like, my coaches, college coaches, and trainers. Really just everyone that’s helped me get this far, so that’s who all came to support tonight.
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