Diontae Johnson may frustrate with the occasional drop and a heavy dose of running backwards after the catch, something that needs to stop in 2023, but there’s no question about his ability to run routes. Drafted as Antonio Brown’s replacement who can shake cornerbacks 1v1, Johnson has been able to do that as one of the game’s most nuanced and effective route runners.
Johnson received some love from Reception Perception’s Matt Harmon, who discussed him and the Steelers’ wide receiver room on his show Thursday.
“You can absolutely use the word elite when you talk about his route running,” Harmon said. “Because he is up there. Last year, 85th percentile success rate versus man, 88th against zone, 84th against press, just checking all the boxes there. Really good.”
Johnson’s production, though, was not so good. He finished the year with only 86 receptions, his fewest since his rookie season, only 882 yards, also his worst mark since 2019, and zero touchdowns. Johnson set the NFL record for most single-season receptions without finding the end zone, a drought he’d like to break sooner than later in 2023.
Still, his tape showed the ability to run great routes. He’s twitchy and nuanced, able to get into a DB’s blindspot and turn him around. Johnson lacks tremendous straight-line speed but his short-area quickness and agility separate him, literally and figuratively.
Not all his problems a year ago were of his own making. Pittsburgh’s offense slogged through most of the year and Matt Canada’s route tree had Johnson confined to the sidelines far too often, severely curtailing his YAC and overall impact. Those aspects must change this year for Johnson to have a bounceback season.
Harmon also made the point that despite Johnson’s smaller size, he’s not a slot receiver, but a bonafide outside player.
“Diontae is a misunderstood player. People look at him as a small, some people even think he’s a slot receiver. Which is crazy because he has actually played more X-receiver than almost anybody else the last three years.”
Harmon is correct. Johnson is an X-receiver who replaced Brown at that spot, two players with a similar build and way to win. Johnson isn’t the talent Brown was but cut from a similar cloth, capable of beating man or zone and making highlight-reel catches.
He should remain the Steelers’ top receiver in terms of volume, targets and receptions, in 2023. The question is if he can continue to lead the team in yards. He narrowly edged out George Pickens a year ago and Pickens caught 34 fewer passes.
Listen to the whole conversation below.
