RB, Texas
Height: 6’0″
Weight: 224 lbs
Class: Senior
Johnson was an All-American high school quarterback and was listed as a four-star prospect in the 2019 class. He earned 17 offers, committing to his home state Longhorns over the likes of Ohio State, Oklahoma, and Florida. A litany of injuries at running back saw Johnson switch positions just a week before the start of his freshman season.
He shared the backfield with Keontay Ingram as a freshman, before serving as the backup to Bijan Robinson for the next three years of his collegiate career. He played in 47 games throughout his time with the Longhorns and ranks 18th all-time in school rushing yards with 2,190.
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Strengths
One of the most notable strengths to Johnson’s game is his vision and patience as a runner. This is on full display when asked to operate on zone running concepts. Johnson clearly has an innate understanding of blocks and leverage and is able to quickly decipher the picture in front of him. He also runs with consistently good pacing and timing to allow his blocks to develop. This willingness to stay patient and press the hole allows him to manipulate second level defenders and open up bigger running lanes.
Johnson also possesses the kind of power profile to translate well to the NFL. At 6’0″ and 224 lbs he has ideal size and runs with the aggressiveness you might expect. This allowed him to consistently create additional yardage, with 71.8% of his career rushing yards coming after contact. Johnson shows great lower body strength to churn through contact and forced an impressive 0.35 missed tackles per attempt throughout his career. For context, that is only marginally behind Bijan Robinson’s 0.39.
Whilst Johnson’s power is impressive, he isn’t just a battering ram. He is a legitimately impressive athlete who showcases impressive quickness for his size. During the offseason he reportedly clocked 22.6mph on the GPS, making him one of the Longhorns’ fastest players. He also saw 14% of his career carries go for 10+ yards. Johnson’s ability to quickly get north out of his cuts is hugely impressive and will translate well to the NFL level.
Johnson rounds out his game with some solid ability on passing downs. Texas didn’t use him a tonne as a receiver, with 56 catches in four seasons, but when called upon he looked good. His route tree is somewhat limited, but he has soft hands and displayed the ability to work around his frame. His ability to quickly secure the football and transition to being a ball carrier made him particularly effective on swings and screens. Johnson was also effective as a blocker, which will help him see the field in the NFL.
Weaknesses
Johnson’s weaknesses won’t come as a surprise given his size. Perhaps the most obvious concern is his lack of ideal lateral agility. Whilst he showcases some nice ability as a one-cut runner on zone concepts, he isn’t exactly an elusive or shifty runner once he hits the open field. There were a number of times on tape where he tried to shake defenders in the open field but had very little luck in doing so.
Another worry will be his issues with pad level. As is often the case with taller backs, Johnson has a tendency to run upright, leading to him being susceptible to lower body shots from defenders. Johnson also has some limitations in terms of his long speed. This isn’t a major weakness, but he isn’t likely to be a consistent home run threat in the NFL either.
Bottom Line
Johnson might not have a single elite trait, but his overall skillset is very impressive. There are no glaring weaknesses to his game and his combination of vision, power, and burst should help him to see the field early in his NFL career.
Ideal role: Lead back in an inside zone or gap-heavy scheme
Round projection: 3rd round
