2024 Football Roster
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Sampson, Dylan
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Jersey Number 6
Dylan Sampson
- Position:
- RB
- Ht./Wt.:
- 5-11 / 201
- Class:
- Junior
- Hometown:
- Baton Rouge, La.
- High School:
- Dutchtown
Bio
CAREER HONORS
2024 Fall SEC Academic Honor Roll2024 SEC Offensive Player of the Year (AP, Coaches)
2024 USA Today SEC Player of the Year
2024 All-America Second Team (The Athletic, FWAA, Sporting News, Sports Illustrated, USA Today, Walter Camp)
2024 All-America Third Team (AP)
2024 All-SEC First Team (AP, Coaches)
2024 Maxwell Award Semifinalist
2024 Doak Walker Award Semifinalist
SEC Offensive Player of the Week (vs. Alabama, 10/21/24)
2023 Fall SEC Academic Honor Roll
2022 SEC First-Year Academic Honor Roll
SEC Freshman of the Week (at Vanderbilt, 11/28/22)
CAREER
An explosive, speedy running back with great playmaking ability who was one of the top players in all of college football ... Formed a dynamic backfield with Jaylen Wright and Jabari Small from 2022-23 and took the reins as the starting back in 2024 … Provided a vocal presence and was a member of the team’s leadership council … One of the fastest players on the team, clocked at 22-23.0 miles per hour on Catapult system ... Enrolled at Tennessee in June 2022 and went through his first spring practice in 2023 ... For his career, rushed for 2,492 yards on 422 carries with 35 touchdowns and averaged 5.9 yards per carry ... Produced 39 career catches for 340 yards and one receiving touchdown ... His 35 career rushing scores tied for second all-time at UT with James Stewart (1991-94), trailing only Gene McEver (37 from 1928-31) ... His 13 career 100-yard games tied for third-most in Tennessee history, while his 2,486 rushing yards were ninth ... A total of 1,541 of his 2,486 rushing yards came after contact ... Two-time member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll and one of the Vols’ leaders in community service ... Played in 35 career games with 14 starts ... Elected to forgo his senior season and enter the 2025 NFL Draft.2024 - JUNIOR
The SEC Offensive Player of the Year as selected by the coaches and Associated Press who led the league and ranked tied for fourth nationally in rushing touchdowns (22) ... His 22 rushing TDs were the most by an SEC player since Alabama’s Najee Harris had an FBS-best 26 in 2020 (13 games) ... Tied LSU’s Leonard Fournette (22 in 2015) for fifth place in SEC single-season rushing touchdowns ... A second-team All-America selection who rushed for 1,491 yards on 258 carries with 22 touchdowns ... Led the SEC in rushing yards per game (114.69) ... Led the SEC and ranked seventh in the FBS in total points scored (132) and in points per game (10.2) ... Owned single-season program records for total touchdowns scored (22), rushing touchdowns (22), points scored (132), rushing yards (1,491) and consecutive games with a rushing touchdown (11) ... Became the second player in Tennessee history with 10 100-yard rushing games in a single season, joining Jay Graham, who had 11 in 1995 ... Led the SEC and ranked 11th nationally in all-purpose yards (1,638) ... A total of 929 of his 1,491 rushing yards came after contact ... His numbers were even better in SEC play as he has put up a league-best 12 rushing touchdowns and 1,051 yards in those games ... Totaled multiple rushing touchdowns in a game 10 times in his career, including in seven of 13 contests in 2024 ... Etched his name in Tennessee history once again, breaking his fourth single-season record of the year in victory at Vanderbilt (11/30), finishing the game with a career-best 178 yards on 25 carries, improving his season total to 1,485 to break the program record of 1,464 set by Travis Stephens in 2001 ... Rushed 11 times for 77 yards and a score, while also catching two passes for 25 yards vs. UTEP (11/23) ... Reached a pair of milestones with his effort vs. Mississippi State (11/9), finishing the game with 30 carries for 149 rushing yards, while eclipsing 1,000 yards on the ground this season and 2,000 for his collegiate career ... With two rushing scores vs. Kentucky (11/2), broke the Tennessee single-season record for rushing touchdowns with 19 ... The record of 18 was previously set by UT’s first All-American, Gene McEver, in 1929 ... Logged his seventh 100-yard game of the year against Kentucky (11/2), rushing 27 times for a career-high 142 yards on the ground, punching in scores of seven and six yards in the third and fourth quarters, respectively ... Named SEC Offensive Player of the Week after posting 26 carries for a career-high-tying 139 yards in win vs. #7 Alabama (10/19), his sixth triple-digit performance of the season and his seventh consecutive outing with more than 90 yards ... Sparked Tennessee’s offense in the second half vs. #7 Alabama (10/19), with two rushing scores ... Was magnificent for the Vols once again vs. Florida (10/12), toting 27 carries for 112 yards and three touchdowns ... All three of his scores against the Gators came in the second half and overtime ... Reached the end zone for the first time against Florida (10/12) with 2:57 left in the third quarter, giving him six consecutive games with a touchdown ... Carried the ball 22 times for a season-high 138 yards and two touchdowns at Arkansas (10/5), marking his fourth 100-plus yard rushing game this year ... Rushed a career-high 24 times for 92 hard-earned yards and one touchdown in SEC opening victory at #15 Oklahoma (9/21) ... Became the first Vol in the modern era with four rushing touchdowns in a half and tied the modern-era school single-game record with that total vs. Kent State (9/14) ... Rushed for 66 yards and three scores in the first 15 minutes against the Golden Flashes and finished with 101 yards and four TDs on 13 attempts, marking his fourth straight 100-yard performance dating back to the Citrus Bowl last season ... Delivered another sensational performance in UT's win over #24 NC State (9/7) amassing 132 yards on 20 carries with two rushing scores and adding three catches for 37 yards to finish with a career-high 169 all-purpose yards ... Tied his career-high in rushing touchdowns with three against Chattanooga (8/31) in the season opener, carrying the ball 12 times for 124 yards while also hauling in three receptions for 29 yards.2023 - SOPHOMORE
Terrific all-purpose season, playing in 12 games with one start at running back … Ranked second on the team in rushing, carrying it 106 times for 604 yards and a team-high seven touchdowns … Averaged 5.7 yards per carry, which ranked second on the team and eighth in the SEC … Ranked third on the team in all-purpose yards with 779, adding 17 receptions for 175 yards and one touchdown grab … Tallied two 100-yard rushing games … Made his first career start in the Citrus Bowl win vs. No. 17 Iowa (1/1) and did not disappoint, rushing for 133 yards on 20 carries, averaging 6.6 with a long of 31 … Also showed his blocking ability vs. the Hawkeyes and setting up a Nico Iamaleava rushing score … Wrapped up the regular season with 10 carries for 37 yards in win vs. Vanderbilt (11/25) ... Averaged 6.6 yards per touch at No. 14 Missouri (11/11), finishing the game with three carries for 20 yards and two catches for 13 yards ... Tallied 51 all-purpose yards (28 rush, 23 rec.) in win over UConn (11/4) ... Accounted for 115 all-purpose yards (76 rushing, 39 receiving) at Kentucky (10/28), including 91 in the fourth quarter to help lift the Vols to a pivotal SEC road win ... Converted five first down plays in the game’s final nine minutes against the Wildcats, including a 12- yard touchdown run that gave the Vols a 33-24 advantage ... Toted four carries for 28 yards and had a pair of receptions for nine yards at No. 11/8 Alabama (10/21) ... Ran the ball nine times for 25 yards and added a 9-yard catch vs. Texas A&M (10/14) ... Totaled 91 all-purpose yards (49 rush, 42 rec.) in win over South Carolina (9/30), including a 6-yard TD run late in the fourth quarter ... His 42 receiving yards against the Gamecocks were a career high ... Rushed for a career-high 139 yards on 11 carries with two touchdowns in win over UTSA (9/23), and added a 20-yard catch to finish with a game-high 159 all-purpose yards ... His 12.64 yards per carry against the Roadrunners was the best by a UT player in a game since QB Joshua Dobbs averaged 19.0 vs. Missouri on Nov. 19, 2016 and the best by a UT running back in a game since Alvin Kamara averaged 12.8 vs. Kentucky on Nov. 12, 2016 ... Had three carries for eight yards and one 9-yard catch vs. Austin Peay (9/9) ... Burst on the scene with a career-best four total touchdowns (three rushing, one receiving) in season-opening win over Virginia (9/2) ... Finished the opener with 13 carries for 52 yards and one catch for nine yards, which went down as UT’s first touchdown of the 2023 campaign ... His four total touchdowns vs. UVA were the most by a Tennessee running back since John Kelly Jr. had four rushing TDs in the 2017 season opener vs. Georgia Tech.2022 - FRESHMAN
Third-string RB who displayed big-play ability in space, totaling 397 yards on 58 carries with six touchdowns during his debut season ... Averaged 6.84 yards per carry … Ranked second among SEC freshmen in rushing scores … Played in 10 games … Also caught three passes for 24 yards … Posted his first career 100-yard rushing performance at Vanderbilt (11/26), logging 12 carries for 131 yards which included an 80-yard scoring burst in the 4th quarter ... Named SEC Freshman of the Week for his efforts in the regular season finale and helped the Vols set a single-game school record for yards per carry (11.7) ... Finished with 105 all-purpose yards, including 98 yards rushing on eight carries with one touchdown in win over Missouri (11/12) ... Scored his fifth touchdown of the year against the Tigers with a two-yard plunge in the fourth quarter ... Handled 13 carries for a team-high 62 yards in win over UT Martin (10/22), including a 45-yard rush and one-yard TD in the third quarter ... Returned from injury to make his SEC debut in his hometown at No. 25 LSU (10/8), logging two carries for 14 yards ... Rushed eight times for 57 yards in his second appearance of the season vs. Akron (9/17) ... Scored a pair of rushing touchdowns on speed option plays around right end against the Zips, scoring from 9 and 11 yards in the first half ... Scored his first-career rushing TD in his collegiate debut with a two-yard plunge into the end zone in season-opening win vs. Ball State (9/1) ... Tallied 51 all-purpose yards (32 rushing, 19 receiving) in the season opener against the Cardinals.HIGH SCHOOL
A record-breaking, speedy running back out of Dutchtown High School in Louisiana … Tabbed a four-star prospect by On3.com and a three-star standout by 247Sports.com, Rivals.com and ESPN.com … Enrolled at UT in June 2022 … Listed as the No. 30 overall running back and No. 15 overall prospect in the state of Louisiana by 247Sports.com … Considered the No. 8 overall all-purpose back by Rivals.com … Shattered NFL and Dutchtown alum Eddie Lacy’s program record for all-time rushing yards, racking up 4,927 yards on 521 carries … Also broke the school’s single-game rushing mark with 23 carries for 287 yards and four touchdowns against Ouachita in Oct. 2021 … Finished his senior season as a team captain with 1,673 all-purpose yards, including 1,374 rushing, to go along with 22 touchdowns in 2021 … Averaged 9.28 yards per carry as a senior and received all-state accolades … Named a finalist for the 2021 Warrick Dunn Award … Named The Advocate’s 2020 Most Outstanding Offensive Player on the Class 5A-4A All-Metro team and selected to the LSWA’s Class 5A all-state team after rushing for 1,327 yards and 15 touchdowns in eight games as a junior … A standout on the track as well, timed at 10.48 seconds in the 100, 21.16 in the 200 and 4.32 in the 40-yard dash … Named to the 2022 All-Metro track squad … Committed to the Vols after 28 scholarship offers in June 2021 … His leadership skills extended beyond the field where he posted over a 4.0 GPA, was named Homecoming King and selected as a Student of the Year finalist … Coached by Guy Mistretta.PERSONAL
Full name is Dylan Jacob Sampson … Born on Sept. 14, 2004, in Baton Rouge … Son of Adrian and Eric Sampson … Has two brothers, Austin and Justin, and one sister, Payton … Said the passing of his grandfather from cancer during the Louisiana floods of 2016 motivated him to stay focused … Is an avid outdoorsman … His biggest influence on his playing career is Reggie Bush – grew up a New Orleans Saints fan and appreciated his elusiveness … Member of the 2023-24 VOLeaders Academy that visited South Africa in the summer of 2024 ... Favorite movie is Juice (1992) … Favorite musical artist is Rod Wave … Favorite food is blackened chicken with Cajun fries … Wants to be an inspiration to future generations … Majoring in information sciences … X handle is @dylans21527 … Instagram handle is @lahsamp_.1.Where Sampson Finished In UT Single-Season Record Books
Rushing Attempts – 258 (5th)
Rushing Yards – 1,491 (1st)
Rushing Touchdowns – 22 (1st)
Rushing Yards Per Game – 114.7 (3rd)
100-Yard Rushing Games – 10 (2nd)
Total Touchdowns Scored – 22 (1st)
Points Scored – 132 (1st)
All-Purpose Yards – 1,638 (7th)
Consecutive Games With a Rushing TD – 11 (1st)
Where Sampson Finished In UT Career Record Books
Rushing Yards – 2,492 (9th)
Rushing Touchdowns – 35 (t2nd)
100-Yard Rushing Games – 13 (t3rd)
Consecutive Games With a Rushing TD – 11 (1st)
FB | Cinematic Recap vs. Syracuse (8.30.25)
Tuesday, September 02
FB | Willie Martinez Press Conference (9.2.25)
Tuesday, September 02
FB | Joey Halzle Press Conference (9.2.25)
Tuesday, September 02
FB | Josh Heupel Press Conference (9.1.25)
Monday, September 01
