ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. praises ‘consistent’ Dylan Sampson ahead of NFL Draft

The longtime ESPN draft analyst heaped praise on the former Tennessee running back earlier this week, naming Sampson among his favorite prospects in the upcoming draft.

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“I just love watching Sampson take off when he gets into space,” Kiper penned. “He’s a home run waiting to happen every time he touches the ball. I see burst and conviction on the tape—he sees the hole, commits and explodes through the gap. You know what you're going to get with Sampson. He's consistent."

The 5-foot-11, 201-pound Sampson is coming off of one the most productive seasons from Vols running back in school history.

Sampson, who averaged 114.7 yards per game and nearly six yards per carry during Tennessee's run to the College Football Playoff, broke a number of records, including single-season rushing touchdowns with 22. His 1,491 rushing yards on 258 carries were also a single-season best.

Sampson rushed for 100 or more yards in 10 of the Vols' 13 games and rushed for more than 130 yards six times.

Sampson totaled 2,492 yards and 35 touchdowns over three seasons, along with 40 receptions out of the backfield for 342 yards and on touchdown.

"To top it all off, Sampson catches the ball well out of the backfield and is willing to step up as a blocker," Kiper wrote. "That gives him some third-down upside in addition to his rushing ability."

Kiper has Sampson listed as the sixth best running back in the draft and going somewhere in the third or fourth round range when the draft begins with the First Round on Thursday (8 p.m. ET, ESPN).

The latest ESPN Mock Draft slotted Sampson as the 88th overall pick in the Third Round to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

"I think in this day and age, there is a lot of things that I could be utilized for," Sampson told reporters at Tennessee's Pro Day last month. "I think I translate well (to the NFL). Getting in the right place and you know, just learn."

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