Cleveland Browns rookie running back Quinshon Judkins was arrested Saturday in Broward County, Florida, on a charge of domestic violence and battery, creating significant uncertainty for the second-round draft pick’s future just days before the start of training camp.
The 21-year-old Judkins was booked on a charge of “touch or strike/battery/domestic violence,” according to Broward County Sheriff’s Office records. As of Saturday night, a bond had not been set, and he remained in jail, per ESPN. His initial court appearance was scheduled for Sunday morning.
A standout in college at both Ole Miss and Ohio State, Judkins was selected by the Browns with the No. 36 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. He was expected to compete for a significant role in the Cleveland backfield.
A Browns spokesman told cleveland.com the team is aware and gathering more information. Rookies for the Browns are scheduled to report for training camp on July 18. Judkins is the only one of the team’s draft picks who has not yet signed his rookie contract. The NFL’s “Personal Conduct Policy” applies to all players, including unsigned rookies.
Browns Front Office Under Fire After Judkins’ Arrest
The arrest of Judkins mirrors a similar incident the Browns dealt with in 2024 involving defensive tackle Mike Hall Jr., another second-round pick who was arrested on domestic violence charges.
Hall’s legal case was ultimately resolved when he pleaded no contest to a lesser charge of disorderly conduct. He received a suspended jail sentence and was placed on probation. The NFL placed Hall on the Commissioner’s Exempt List, which barred him from practicing with the team. He was eventually suspended for five games of his rookie season.
The back-to-back incidents involving high-profile draft picks have led fans and analysts to question the Browns’ effectiveness in vetting players.
“Second consecutive offseason one of Andrew Berry’s draft picks is arrested and charged following an alleged domestic violence incident,” Daryl Ruiter of 92.3 The Fan wrote on X.
“I’m officially out on Andrew Berry. Guys is just plain not good at his job. Laughably bad at judging character,” a fan added.
Browns Attempting to Replace Nick Chubb
Judkins was a decorated collegiate player, amassing 3,785 rushing yards and 45 touchdowns over three seasons. He began his career at Ole Miss, where he was a two-time All-SEC selection, before transferring to Ohio State and helping the Buckeyes win a national championship.
“We’ve obviously been spoiled over the past couple years, particularly with Nick (Chubb) and Kareem (Hunt), and we feel like he is very much in that mold in terms of skill set,” Berry said. “Not necessarily saying that he’s going to, with certainty, develop into one of those players — we certainly hope that’s the case — but we think that he can be a bell cow runner that can really carry the load for us.”
The Browns drafted Judkins and Dylan Sampson in the fourth round to reshape their backfield. Cleveland moved on from fan-favorite running back Nick Chubb this offseason. Chubb signed a one-year deal with the Houston Texans after seven seasons in Cleveland.
