2018 Rookie Class: An Early Look at Kerryon Johnson

Joseph Nammour

Editor’s note: ahead of a huge day of college football action, make sure you check out today’s early Bowl Game Previews, the Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl Previews, and all of our 2018 Rookie Profiles. Before you know it, it will be NFL draft day!

Auburn running back Kerryon Johnson had a breakout 2017 season and led the SEC in rushing, which is no small feat for a conference featuring heaps of NFL talent including Damien Harris, Nick Chubb, Sony Michel, and plenty of others.

We’ll break down why Johnson may be getting overlooked a little, along with some aspects of his game he can still stand to improve.

AS A RECRUIT

Johnson attended Madison Academy in Madison, Alabama and committed to Auburn on April 15, 2014. He was well regarded out of high school. According to 247 Sports, he was a four-star recruit who ranked as the 43rd overall prospect in the nation.

He received ten offers in total, including some from the best schools in the country. Auburn, Alabama, Clemson were just a few of those big names to extend him an offer, while Florida State, LSU, and others were vying for his services.

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NCAA CAREER

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Statistics from Sports Reference.

Johnson’s collegiate career got off to an inauspicious start. Backing up Peyton Barber and Jovon Robinson, he rushed for just 208 yards on 52 carries, adding three rushing touchdowns. However, an intriguing thing to note from his freshman season is that he caught 14 passes despite playing a limited role, and these 14 receptions led all Auburn running backs.

Despite the departures of Barber and Robinson, it was teammate Kamryn Pettway who stole the spotlight from Johnson his sophomore season. While Johnson managed to punch in 11 rushing touchdowns, Pettway outrushed him by over 300 yards and rushed for an additional yard per carry.

His junior season is when Johnson truly emerged as a legitimate NFL talent. Pettway fractured his scapula, leaving Johnson the majority of touches in the Auburn backfield. And he managed to make the most of them, rushing 263 times for 1320 yards (5.0 yards per carry) and scoring 17 touchdowns on the ground. He added 23 receptions for 188 yards and two additional scores through the air, which is another factor in his favor.

And, as a small bonus, Johnson has thrown four passes in his career, all of which were completed — including two for scores.

ATHLETIC PROFILE

Johnson stands 6’0”, 212. Johnson doesn’t have elite speed. Watching him on tape shows a noticeable lack of a second gear, but he’s not a poor athlete by any means. He frequently hurdles defenders and maintains his balance, which shows that his lower body has some explosion to it.

DRAFT PROJECTION

Projections for Johnson are all over the map. NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah has him as a first-round talent, pitting him inside his top 25 overall. Others leave him out of the first two rounds altogether. He’s likely a second-day selection, although some have speculated if he could end up returning to school for his senior season.

As a potential three-down running back, there are plenty of teams that could use his talents. Organizations with ineffective tailbacks or running backs on expiring contracts could utilize a player with the ability to contribute in all facets.

I have Johnson ranked as my 15th-best prospect and ninth overall running back for rookie draft purposes at this point in the process. He’s part of a large tier of running backs that includes Rashaad Penny, Damien Harris, Bryce Love, and Royce Freeman, but he may be a player who rises in my ranks over the next couple months. I’m fascinated to see how he tests at the Combine.

MY THOUGHTS

Johnson is an underrated prospect in this loaded running back class. His breakout didn’t come until this year, which will push some people off of him, but he doesn’t seem like a one-year wonder to me. He’s shown his ability over all three seasons, and finally was able to take advantage of a teammate’s injury this season to shine.

As mentioned above, Johnson is an unremarkable athlete, but he’s a smart, instinctive runner. He has plus vision, balance, and footwork, and runs hard, showing the ability to lower his shoulder and push a pile. Patient behind the line of scrimmage, he prefers to wait for a hole to open up rather than plowing into the back of one of his offensive linemen.

Johnson’s ability to catch passes outside his body is a major plus for me. He’s improving as a route runner, and he is one of the better pass protectors in this class. These points will allow him to stick at the NFL level, even if he isn’t one of the best pure runners in the league.

However, he does tend to run upright, and unlike Darren McFadden, he doesn’t have the speed to purely outrun defenders down the field. This will expose Johnson to more punishment than he needs to take, and could affect his durability down the road.

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