Tennessee Vols RB Dylan Sampson gets zero love from ESPN ahead of 2024 season

Dylan Sampson will enter the 2024 season as the Tennessee Vols' top option at running back.

The rising junior, who is electric with the ball in his hands, has played behind Jaylen Wright and Jabari Small the past two seasons.

With Wright and Small off to the NFL, it's Sampson who will lead the charge in Tennessee's backfield this fall.

Sampson has put up solid numbers in his first two seasons at Tennessee despite serving as the Vols' No. 3 running back.

The Louisiana native rushed for 397 yards and six touchdowns as a true freshman in 2022. As a sophomore in 2023, Sampson rushed for 604 yards and seven touchdowns.

1,001 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns on 164 carries over his first two seasons while operating as the Vols' No. 3 running back indicates that Sampson should thrive as Tennessee's No. 1 running back in 2024.

ESPN, however, doesn't quite see it that way. They recently ranked the top 10 running backs for the 2024 college football season and Sampson was nowhere to be found. He wasn't even among the eight running backs who just missed the top 10.

Michigan's Donovan Edwards, who was less productive than Sampson last season, made the top 10. And so did Georgia running back Trevor Etienne, who had a season last year at Florida similar to Sampson's 2023 season at Tennessee. Etienne is worthy of being on the list, but so is Sampson!

Vols fans are well aware of how electric Sampson is with the ball in his hands. What he's accomplished over the last two seasons at Tennessee is just a sneak peek of what's in store for the 2024 season. It wouldn't be a surprise if Sampson finishes his junior year as one of the most productive running backs in college football (the one area where he could stand to improve is in pass protection).

If that's the case, ESPN won't have a choice but to recognize Sampson among the nation's best rushers.

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