Power Potential
While Johnson only measured at 5’11 at last month’s Combine, his long legs give him a deceptive length that can often distort how far and fast he is actually moving. This also comes in handy in goal-line situations where he can use his length to dive over the pile even from a fair distance:
Although the Panthers already have the NFL’s best short yardage back in Cam Newton, this ability to contribute in goal-line situations was certainly part of what Jonathan Stewart brought to the Panthers that will now be missing after his release. What Johnson fails to bring on a consistent basis is the ability to break through tackles, especially at low speeds like will often be the case in short-yardage situations:
Some of this is due to his somewhat upright running style, something he said was pointed out by teams during the Combine. What is encouraging is that he did show the ability to run with a better pad level, just not consistently:
What is certainly true is that when he does manage to get up a head of steam, he flashes the power potential that should excite the Panthers:
What is also encouraging is that his hesitancy seems to be more through choice than through athletic limitations, as when he sees an open running lane, he demonstrates the acceleration which is sometimes lacking from those who rely heavily on vision:
What’s more, he also shows the deep speed to turn these runs into long touchdowns:
While his patient running style can be effective, depending on where he is drafted, teams may well be willing to sacrifice some of that potential reward for the decrease in risk that could come with encouraging him to get downhill more quickly; these pieces of tape do suggest that is at least a transformation he might be capable of – he also shows the ability to make a man miss in space:
It is always difficult to project players based on what they might become, and teams should be wary of getting ahead of themselves when projecting Johnson to the NFL, but he offers enough in terms of speed, quickness, agility, balance and power to encourage teams about his ability beyond simply vision.
Next Up: Passing Game & NFL Player Comparisons
