Jadarian Price of Notre Dame has been linked to the Browns.

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Jadarian Price of Notre Dame has been linked to the Browns.

The Cleveland Browns are being urged to add another running back in the NFL Draft, despite the presence of Quinshon Judkins in their backfield.

Garrett Bush, co-host of The Ultimate Cleveland Sports Show, made the case for Notre Dame’s Jadarian Price to join Judkins in the Cleveland backfield, pointing to Price’s overlooked production behind a star teammate as a reason to expect more once he gets his own opportunity.

“I’m looking to bolster that offensive backfield. Quinshon Judkins is coming back; give me Jadarian Price from Notre Dame,” Bush said. “He didn’t get a lot of shine when he was at Notre Dame because he had Love in front of him. But, we also had a back in Quinshon Judkins that split time with Mr. Henderson at Ohio State, and he turned out to be nice. I like him — he’s physical, he can run, and he can catch the ball out of the backfield. Better hands than most people would know. He could be a nice 1-2 punch with Judkins. I want another running back.”

Quinshon Judkins Not Keen on Adding to Browns Backfield

Bush isn’t the first to float the idea of pairing Judkins with a Notre Dame back. When fans began speculating about the Browns drafting Jeremiyah Love — Price’s former teammate and the expected top running back off the board — Judkins dropped into the conversation on social media and made his feelings clear, responding with, “Guys don’t know ball man it’s sad.”

Price represents a different tier of investment than Love — a Day 2 prospect rather than a top-10 commitment. But it raises a fair question: does Cleveland really need to spend additional draft capital at a position it already addressed twice last year, especially with more urgent needs elsewhere on offense?

The Browns drafted Judkins and Dylan Sampson last year, reshaping their backfield after allowing Nick Chubb to move on. Judkins was productive as a rookie before an injury ended his season early, rushing 230 times for 827 yards and seven touchdowns across 14 games. He is on track to return for training camp after surgery to repair a dislocated right ankle and fractured fibula.

Sampson carved out a complementary role as well, contributing 89 rushing yards and 23 catches for 195 receiving yards, with his signature moment coming on a 66-yard screen pass touchdown against Las Vegas.

Cleveland holds the sixth overall pick and No. 24, along with 10 total selections. Running back doesn’t need to be a priority on Day 1. But if Price is available when the Browns pick in the second or third round, Bush’s case becomes harder to dismiss.

Jadarian Price Could be Another Weapon for Browns

Price declared for the draft after spending his career at Notre Dame backing up Love, a Heisman Trophy finalist. He finished his junior season with 674 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns, establishing himself as a steady, dependable presence in the backfield. Price’s breakout moment came in a four-touchdown performance against Purdue, highlighted by a 100-yard kickoff return that showcased his big-play ability.

Price finished his Notre Dame career with 1,692 rushing yards, 21 touchdowns on the ground, and three kickoff return scores, earning AP All-America Third Team honors as an all-purpose player.

ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. ranks Price as the No. 2 draft-eligible running back in this class, behind only Love.

At 5-foot-11 and 210 pounds, Price is described as a natural, instinctive runner with elite-level vision to find open lanes, with evaluators projecting him as a potential RB1 at the next level. He could also be a dynamic returner for the Browns, who have lacked that kind of threat in recent seasons.

J.R. DeGroote JR DeGroote is a staff writer for Heavy.com, where he has covered the NFL, NBA, and trending sports stories since 2019. His work focuses on some of the most passionate fanbases in sports, including reporting on the Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys and Los Angeles Lakers. More about J.R. DeGroote

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