Tennessee running back Dylan Sampson is declaring for the NFL draft after leading the Southeastern Conference in rushing and setting several school records.
The SEC Offensive Player of the Year shared his decision on social media Friday, announcing he will leave after his junior season. He helped the seventh-ranked Vols finish with a 10-3 record, though they lost in the first round of the College Football Playoff, where Sampson was limited by a hamstring injury.
Sampson expressed gratitude to his family, Tennessee coaches, and fans, saying he learned a lot and was proud to be part of something special. When he arrived at Tennessee, the team was 3-7 in 2020, but he leaves with the Vols having won 30 games in his three seasons.
“I poured my heart and soul into this program and this community,” Sampson wrote. “With that being said, I will be declaring for the 2025 NFL Draft.”
Sampson set a school record by rushing for 1,491 yards. He also set a program record with a league-leading 22 rushing touchdowns, breaking a record that had stood for 95 years.
He was part of coach Josh Heupel’s first full signing class in December 2021 from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He also set school records for total touchdowns (22), points scored (132), and consecutive games with a rushing touchdown (11).
Sampson led the SEC in nine categories, including rushing attempts (258), rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, 100-yard rushing games (10), averaging 114.7 yards per game, points scored, points per game (10.2), all-purpose yards (1,638), and all-purpose yards per game (126.0).
He finished the season tied for fifth all-time in SEC history for rushing touchdowns in a single season, matching Leonard Fournette of LSU.
