Ohio State football’s ‘blueprint’ for running back success was validated by the 2025 NFL Draft
COLUMBUS, Ohio — When TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins agreed to share a backfield at Ohio State last season, some wondered if dividing carries would hurt their NFL draft stock. The 2025 NFL Draft just delivered a resounding answer: both were selected within the top 40 picks.
“Ohio State very clearly wants to do this two-running back system in the new era of college football,” co-host Stefan Krajisnik said on the latest Buckeye Talk podcast. “The blueprint is there. The proof is in the pudding.”
This blueprint isn’t just a happy accident — it’s the result of a deliberate strategic vision implemented by Ryan Day and his coaching staff.
The Buckeyes recognized that the days of 30-carry workhorses winning championships were over, and their approach has now been emphatically validated.
Not only did Henderson (38th overall to the Patriots) and Judkins (36th overall to the Browns) become the highest-drafted Ohio State running back duo in the modern era, they accomplished this feat while winning a national championship together. That’s the kind of evidence that will resonate powerfully with future recruits.
“You bring in two talented guys who split the workload and they both go within… the top 50 picks in the NFL draft,” Krajisnik said. “Someone had to be the first ones to buy in, and they did.” The significance extends beyond just these two players.
As the podcast hosts discussed, this creates a compelling recruiting pitch for Ohio State’s running backs coach Carlos Locklyn: come to Columbus, share the load, stay healthy, win championships and still go early in the NFL draft. “When you’re going after C.J. Donaldson in the portal or whoever you’re going after in recruiting… you can put it on a piece of paper and show them,” Krajisnik said. “Yes, you’ll lose reps, you’ll lose carries, but you’re going to have a successful season. (OSU will) develop you into an NFL running back, and you can both go within the top 50 of the NFL draft.”
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