From now until the 2023 NFL Draft takes place, we hope to scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top 10 picks, all the way down to Day 3 selections and priority undrafted free agents. Today, I will be profiling TCU wide receiver, Quentin Johnson.
#1 Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU (JR) — 6026, 208 lbs.
Combine/Pro Day
Measurements
| Player | Ht/Wt | Hand Size | Arm Length | Wingspan |
| Quentin Johnston | 6’2 3/4”/208 | 9 5/8 | 33 5/8 | 81 5/8 |
| 40-Yard Dash | 10-Yard Dash | Short Shuttle | 3-Cone | |
| 4.50u | 1.56u | N/A | 7.15u | |
| Broad Jump | Vertical | Bench Press | ||
| 11’2” | 40.5 | N/A |
The Good
— Very good Height/Weight/Speed
— Experience outside and in the slot
— Full route tree; can be used on all three levels
— Good acceleration and long strides off the line of scrimmage
— Very good feel versus Zone and good footwork to separate at the LOS
— Good catch radius and tracks the deep ball very well
— Can create yards after the catch
— Speed to take a short throw the distance
— Willing blocker in the run game
The Bad
— Inconsistent working back to the quarterback
— Had several drops; most coming on shallow crossing routes
— Separation lapses versus Man coverage
— Stop/start acceleration is adequate after change of direction
— Unsuccessful on screens, jet/fly passes
— Contested catches on deep balls
— Lateral mirror as a blocker
Bio
— 2022: 60 receptions, 1,069 yards, 17.8 YPR, 6 TD, 3 carries, -7 yards
— Career: 115 receptions, 2,190 yards, 19.0 YPR, 14 TD, 8 carries, 8 yards, 2 TD
— 32 games
— 2021, 2022 First team All-Big 12
— 2022 Biletnikoff Award Semifinalist
— 2021 Academic All-Big-Ten
— Offensive MVP in CFP Semifinal vs Michigan
— 4-Star recruit out of high school
— Birthday 9/6/2001 (age 21)
Tape Breakdown
Quentin Johnston had a breakout year in 2022 topping one thousand yards for the first time helping TCU to the college football playoffs. He is a height/weight/speed protype who played on the outside and the slot and was used on all levels.
Against off coverage he has good acceleration and long strides to cover ground in an instant. He can get on the toes of a defensive back quickly. Against Press coverage, he has good play strength and hand usage to work through jams and get into his route. As a route runner he has good quickness out of his breaks especially to the inside and can use his speed to pull away on Crosses and Drive routes. He has a solid hip drop on curl and comeback routes and presents himself as a good target. Against Zone coverage, he has a good feel of empty spots within the defense.
He displays good footwork at the line of scrimmage to create space.
As a receiver, he has solid hands and catches the ball away from his body when facing the quarterback. On crossing routes, he is more of a body catcher and is solid on contested catches in the middle of the field. After the catch, he has the play strength to break arm tackles and speed to take it the distance. With his back to the defense like Curl routes, he displays and excellent feel of where the defender is and can make the first man miss to gain extra yards. He tracks the deep ball very well making difficult over the shoulder catches.
After the catch, he can make the first man miss to gain those extra yards.
He is a threat down the field, and he tracks the ball nicely.
In the run game, Johnston is a willing participant. He will use his size and length to handle defensive backs and will crack inside on linebackers when needed.
He is a willing blocker for teammates in the run and pass game.
On Comeback/Curl routes he doesn’t always work back to the quarterback. I saw several drops in the games watched and almost all of them were on crossing routes. Versus Man coverage his separation was adequate overall on deep balls. After the catch, when he stops to make a cut, he has adequate re-acceleration after a change of direction. They attempted to use him on screen and jet/fly passes, and he was largely unsuccessful due to the acceleration after change of direction. On 50/50 balls, he didn’t make as many plays as you might expect with his size. In the running game, he doesn’t use his feet to move laterally to mirror defenders well enough yet.
He had four drops in the five games I watched. This was one. The other three came on shallow crossing routes.
They used him on many screens and fly passes in the backfield and they were never successful.
Conclusion
Johnston has very good size, speed and experience outside and in the slot. He can be used on all three levels throughout most of the route tree. He has a good release and acceleration off the line and creates space with quickness and play strength. After the catch he can gain extra yards in a variety of ways and the speed to take it the distance. His hands are solid, and he tracks the ball well and is a willing blocker in the run game.
Areas to improve include working back to the quarterback on comeback routes, not losing concentration on crossing routes, moving his feet laterally as a blocker and improving separation vs Man coverage. His stop/start acceleration is adequate and is not a candidate for screens and sweeps.
Johnston can be profiled as a guy who can play multiple receiver roles. He has the versatility to play inside or outside in the X or Z role as well as being scheme versatile. He’ll give a team a big target who can add yards after the catch. His floor is a very good number two receiver, but he could blossom into a very good number one.
He could fit in Pittsburgh as a big slot who can back up the starters initially. I don’t expect Pittsburgh to use their first or second pick on a receiver, however. For my comp, I’ll go with former Falcon Roddy White.
Projection: Late Day One
Depot Draft Grade: 8.8 Year 1 Quality Starter (Mid to Late First Round)
Games Watched: 2022 – At Kansas, Vs Kansas State, At West Virginia, At Baylor, Vs Michigan
