Finding Broncos: Scouting Tennessee RB Dylan Sampson

The Denver Broncos are in the running back market as the NFL draft approaches. One back who's been linked to the Broncos by local insiders since January is Tennessee's Dylan Sampson.

What does Sampson bring to the table? And what are some of his drawbacks? Let's dive in.

Biography

Sampson will be drafted at 20 years old and will play in the NFL before he turns 21. He spent his entire collegiate career at the University of Tennessee. 

Size & Athleticism

Sampson, who is 5-foot-8 and 200 pounds, has a good build for his size. He's an excellent athlete, and his game reflects his athletic traits. 

Key Statistic

Sampson put the ball on the ground once every 93 touches in his collegiate career. He was only targeted 50 times in college, with 40 catches and three drops. 

Pros

Sampson is a small, quick, agile, athletic runner with explosive play potential. Despite his size, he handles contact well, and it seems like he loves contact at times.

Sampson's jump-cut is exceptional, and he does a good job of pressing the line and reading the play as it develops. Of all the backs in this class, his instincts as a runner are among the best. 

With backs like Sampson, there can be issues with being overly patient, but that doesn’t show up with Sampson. His football IQ and instincts are easy to see when watching his tape, and he has a sixth sense when abandoning run designs to create for himself. 

When in space, Sampson can kill a defense with an elite spin move that keeps his balance and momentum, followed by a sudden acceleration to get back to full speed. Even at his size, he was highly efficient in short-yardage situations and could make himself even smaller to find the lane to get at least three yards with consistency. 

There wasn't much usage as a receiver at Tennessee, but he has shown the required traits to be an effective receiving back, especially out of the backfield. 

Cons

Sampson may not be a bell-cow back, but he can be an elite secondary guy with his explosive play-making potential. When looking for an NFL example, the Detroit Lions come to mind, with Jamhyr Gibbs as an example, though Sampson isn’t at the same level.

Sampson has the makeup of an explosive outside zone runner, but his game has more issues when the design goes outside. He thrives between the tackles, which leads to questions about how his body type holds up at the NFL level. 

Due to Sampson's limited usage, there is nothing but projection regarding passing downs. He isn’t a blocking back, and his receiving ability needs development.

Sampson's hands aren’t ideal, but you can motion him in and out of the backfield. He needs to show improvement as a route runner with receiver routes. 

Fit with Broncos

If Sampson offered up more of a known quantity as a receiver, he would be an excellent fit for the Broncos. Since he isn’t, he is still a solid fit but not ideal.

Sampson could be a good option when the Broncos are on the clock in the second round, depending on how the running back board looks. 

Draft Grade: Round 2