| One of the more athletic middle linebackers in this year's draft, Johnson helped himself with a strong performance at the NFL combine. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.68 seconds - 10th fastest among the 29 linebackers who ran there - and also bench pressed 225 pounds 23 times. Johnson was most impressive in the broad jump, finishing second at 10-feet, 4-inches, and placing fifth with a 37-inch vertical leap. Johnson had a solid senior season at Nevada, finishing second on the team with 100 total tackles - including 5 1/2 for loss - 1 1/2 sacks, an interception and a forced fumble. He was an All-WAC performer in 2010, when he totaled 88 tackles - 11 1/2 for loss - and 2 1/2 sacks. Although he played both outside and inside linebacker for the Wolfpack, Johnson spent his final two seasons at the Mike position and that's where he projects in the NFL. Because he is thick and very strong, Johnson is adept at shedding blockers and rarely has a problem bringing runners down. He has a good first step and is light on his feet, but does not have elite diagnosing skills or the necessary closing speed to be a major factor outside the box. Because he does everything at a fairly high level and has outstanding intangibles, Johnson should eventually start in the NFL after some grooming. He's a likely mid-round pick that could make an immediate contribution on special teams. |
