:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72210363/usa_today_19902239.0.jpg)
Johnson was drafted with the No. 115 overall pick by the Chicago Bears. He joins a crowded backfield of D’Onta Foreman and Khalil Herbert but could be molded into an offensive contributor during his rookie season.
Texas Longhorns running back Roschon Johnson never saw a massive workload in college, but he was in a strong backfield as he looks to catch on at the next level. Johnson rushed for 649 yards as a freshman in 2019 but didn’t reach that number in any of the last three seasons.
In his final season with the Longhorns, Johnson rushed for 554 yards on 93 attempts with six yards per carry, and he scored five rushing touchdowns. He caught 14 passes for 128 yards with a receiving touchdown.
Roschon Johnson: Scouting Report
Johnson is a bruising back who runs hard and rams through contact with a big frame at 6 feet and 219 pounds. He runs with a determined aggressiveness and is a strong contributor in pass protection, which could be very valuable in his chances at sustaining a productive NFL career.
Johnson will have his limitations in the pros without a strong burst between the tackles, so he will need to make up for that in other areas, which may include his value on special teams.
Mock Draft landing spots
CBS’ Ryan Palmer has Johnson headed to the Cleveland Browns in Round 3, The Athletic sees him with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third round, and NFL.com has the Cardinals picking him in the third.
Fantasy football implications
It’s tough to imagine Johnson will be relied upon in many fantasy football leagues, but we’ve seen plenty of running backs put together a strong rookie season depending on where they’re selected. He’s certainly a candidate to be a potential goal-line back, which suits his skill set.
Johnson would be playing behind Nick Chubb in Cleveland and behind James Conner in Arizona, so he would not be seeing a lot of carries early on in his career, barring a starter’s injury. The Bucs have Rachaad White in the first spot on their depth chart — a third-round pick in 2022, which means that the job may be somewhat more flexible for a third-round 2023 pick. Keep an eye on Johnson at the Bucs, but that may be the only place he’s worth early fantasy consideration.