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CLEVELAND, Ohio \u2014 Browns running back Dylan Sampson didn\u2019t do much pass-catching at Tennessee \u2014 he had 40 receptions in three seasons and never caught more than four in a game. He had one or zero catches in seven games last season.<\/p>\n
Still, he came in confident he could be an effective receiver in the NFL.<\/p>\n
\u201cSomething that I wasn\u2019t able to showcase a lot at Tennessee, but I feel like I was able to showcase what could be at my pro days and at the combine,\u201d Sampson said at the team\u2019s rookie minicamp in May. \u201cAnytime I could run routes, I ran routes.\u201d<\/p>\n
All the work paid off for Sampson on Sunday against the Bengals when he led the Browns with eight receptions and was second on the team with 64 receiving yards. His ability to find positive yards catching out of the backfield helped alleviate some of the team\u2019s struggles in the run game.<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought Dylan did a nice job,\u201d head coach Kevin Stefanski said. \u201cHe was out there because we trust him. He has the ability in the run and the pass game to affect the game.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sampson\u2019s ability to catch passes goes back to his early days playing football \u2014 and to advice from his dad, Eric.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe always told me \u2026 he was like, you need to learn how to run routes and catch the ball, too,\u201d Sampson said on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
It wasn\u2019t the exact advice Sampson wanted to hear. He thought maybe his dad was trying to get him to play receiver, something people would suggest to him due to his smaller stature as he moved up the ranks.<\/p>\n
\u201cI heard that before I got to college because I\u2019m not the biggest running back,\u201d Sampson said. \u201cIt\u2019s like, you sure you want to do this and this and that? But I\u2019ve always felt like I had a mind for a running back.\u201d<\/p>\n
His dad\u2019s advice wasn\u2019t about changing positions, though. It was about expanding his horizons.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe just told me, \u2018The more you could do,\u2019\u201d Sampson said, \u201cand I keep that with me and obviously this league is evolving into that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Instead of bristling at the idea of being asked to catch passes, he sees it as an opportunity in the modern NFL, where players who can be chess pieces are more valuable than ever.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m an athlete,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019m at this level now. It\u2019s like, however, I can help this team, whatever that looks like. Some games might be rushing, some games might be more in the passing game. Something\u2019s got to click, and I want to be one of the ones clicking, so however I can be.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Browns drafted Sampson in the fourth round after selecting Quinshon Judkins in the second round, and the vision was clear early on. While Judkins is seen as the bell cow, Sampson provides a change of pace and a player who can be used in multiple ways.<\/p>\n
\u201cBeing able to play in the slot sometimes, being able to put him in the backfield, kind of moving him around,\u201d Browns running backs coach Duce Staley said during training camp, \u201ckind of dumping a lot on him to see how he adjusts and he\u2019s adjusting well.\u201d<\/p>\n
The plan was upended when Judkins was arrested for domestic battery prior to training camp. Prosecutors in South Florida deemed the case not worth pursuing in August, and Judkins and the Browns finally agreed to a contract on Saturday. He was in New York Wednesday as part of the league\u2019s investigation into the matter.<\/p>\n
Sampson started in Judkins\u2019 absence on Sunday, and the run game never quite got going. Once Judkins returns to a full workload, the Browns can deploy the two backs to keep defenses on their toes. Sampson\u2019s versatility will only help.<\/p>\n
He\u2019s embracing the idea of being an athlete, of being a weapon instead of simply being a runner.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt keeps the defense on their heels,\u201d he said, \u201cforce them to cover the whole field, gives you the ability to attack the run game, too, when you kind of go away from the pass game. But, I mean, all cylinders are clicking. It\u2019s just what you want as an offense.\u201d<\/p>\n
Whether it\u2019s as a runner or a receiver, Sampson just wants to make an impact.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019ve got to be an athlete with the ball in your hands anyway,\u201d he said. \u201cThat\u2019s why I say, I play ball.\u201d<\/p>\n
He\u2019ll play it any way the Browns need him.<\/p>\n
Browns<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":32391,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-32390","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cleveland-browns"],"yoast_head":"\n