TE Theo Johnson Scouting Reports

[MightyGiants]

Cosell

THEO JOHNSON'S 2024 NFL COMBINE RESULTS
Height: 6'6"
Weight: 259 lbs.
40-Time: 4.57
10-Yard Split: 1.55
Vertical: 39.5"
Broad Jump: 10'5"
3-Cone: 7.15
Shuttle: 4.19

THEO JOHNSON 2024 NFL DRAFT SCOUTING REPORT
STRENGTHS:
Alignment versatility in playing attached and detached to the formation, in the slot and split wide.
Very good size and strength allows him to have success engaging and maintain blocks in run, screen game.
Solid run blocker. Moves feet well and works hands to stay engaged with room for improvement with coaching.
Good tempo and pace as a blocker, allowing him to take the right angles and stay under control when in space.
Deceptive speed due to being a long strider and covers ground well vertically (good down the seams).
Good feel for route running in relation to coverage in how he uses his stem to set up his routes and separate.
Uses size well to make contested catches. Good catch radius to secure passes outside of his frame (RZ target).
Solid runner after the catch, who uses a blend of speed and power to pick up additional yards.

WEAKNESSES:
Better vertically than laterally. More smooth than sudden in his movements as route runner and ball carrier.
Upright playing style with stiff hips and choppy footwork when redirecting laterally, effecting separation ability.
Struggles to separate against quicker defenders on short to intermediate routes, especially in man coverage.
Willing and capable blocker, but due to his size, he plays upright at the point of contact, at times limiting his movement.

NFL TRANSITION:
Johnson possesses the position versatility to be used in multiple personnel groups and schemes because of his ability to play attached and detached, especially in the slot and use in the red zone as matchup problem for opposing defenses. His ability to block allows him to be to be either a primary TE or secondary TE in multiple TE sets.

Very good blocker who plays under control with good technique at the point of attack while possessing the athleticism and movement skills to stay engaged. Big frame and catch radius allow him to make catches in traffic or over the middle of the field.

He is a long strider with deceptive vertical speed to allow him to attack the seams. He struggles to redirect laterally as a route runner due to his upright playing style limiting his separation out of sharper in and out-breaking routes. He has a good feel for defensive coverage schemes and finding voids when running his routes, especially over the middle down the seams.

Overall, Johnson is an all-around TE with noticeable upside potential, who has the ability to contribute as a run blocker and as a versatile pass catcher who can make plays from attached or detached alignment. Johnson can be a Year 1 contributor in multiple TE sets and eventually develop into a solid No. 1 TE.

OTHER NOTES:
Johnson came out of Canada as 4-star recruit and was ranked 61st in the National across all positions and ranked third at the TE position. Was selected to play in the Under Armour All-American Game prior to going to Penn State.

Started in 28 games over his last three seasons and was All-Big Ten Honorable Mention in 2023. Finished his career with 77 receptions, 938 yards and 12 TDs (7 TDs in 2023). Tied for fourth in the National among TEs with 11 receiving TDs over the last two seasons.

In 2022, Johnson had very good alignment versatility with 71 routes run from an attached TE alignment with 76 routes run from a slot alignment and 33 routes run from an outside WR alignment, having most of his success catching the ball and production from an attached alignment (13 receptions for 168 yards and 3 TDs). He had some success from the slot with six receptions for 132 yards and 1 TD.

In 2023, Johnson again had very good alignment versatility. He had even more routes run from a detached alignment in the slot, with 121 routes and 13 receptions for 127 yards and 3 TDs, with 24 routes run from an outside alignment (151 routes detached from formation) and had 97 routes run from an attached alignment with 17 catches for 185 yards and 4 TDs.


McGinn

4. THEO JOHNSON, Penn State (6-6, 261, 4.62, 3-4): Helped himself at the combine with a solid 40, a 39 ½-inch vertical jump and a position-best short shuttle of 4.19. "I'd rather take a shot on him than Sanders," one scout said. "He's on the upside. He's got assertiveness with his blocking but he's not consistent with his blocking. He can make hard, adjusting catches but he can't run after the catch. He doesn't make people miss in space." Started 29 of 45 games over four years, finishing with 77 receptions for 938 (12.2) and 12 TDs. "He's a little bit intriguing," said another scout. "He's a big guy. He's fast. He'll give you effort as a blocker. He's much improved in that area. He's got ball skills. He's a really clunky mover, a really unnatural route runner. He's Canadian, so he's raw. I thought he might go back to school. If somebody really wants one they might take him in the third but I don't think he's worth that." From Windsor, Ontario.


NFL.com

By Lance Zierlein
NFL Analyst
Draft Projection
Round 3

Overview
Highly recruited out of high school, Johnson looks the part with an above-average frame and traits. While teams might want to place him in an elevated silo for consideration, they might not find the consistency or high number of flashes on tape that they were expecting. Johnson's run blocking is below average for his size, and adopting a glass-eating mentality in conjunction with technique work could help him improve in that area. He'll make contested catches and is adequate against man coverage, but he lacks dynamic qualities as a pass catcher. Traits will work in his favor, but there is work to be done to become anything more than an average backup.

Strengths
Excellent size and build with good musculation across his frame.
Displays decent lift with hips/hands when fitting up his base block.
Widens base and runs his feet through initial contact.
Runs routes with proper leverage to stem and separate at break point.
Will make the contested catch more times than not.

Weaknesses
Tends to drift rather than sit down when sinking into zone voids.
Not a very dynamic runner after the ball is in his hands.
Waist-bending into run blocks allows edge defender to slip off and around.
Missing a hard-hat run-blocking mentality as a Y tight end.
Needs to improve his mirror-and-strike talent against moving fronts.
GRADE

Brugler


THEO JOHNSON | Penn State 6061 | 259 lbs. | 4SR Windsor, Ontario (Holy Names) 2/26/2001 (age 23.16) #84
BACKGROUND: Theodore "Theo" Johnson, the thirdoldestof six boys, was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba (north of the Minnesota-Canada border). His parents (Nate
and Amy)moved the family to Brampton and then Cambridge (both in Ontario, just outside of Toronto), and Johnson started playing football in second grade. In
January 2009, Amy and her sixboys left a difficult and allegedly abusive situation at home — Theo reportedly referred to it as an "escape" — and Nate was given a
nine-month jail sentence (he was released on time served). For the next three months, Amy (in school at the time studying social development at Waterloo) and the
boys were forced to live in alternative housing. They attended food banks to make ends meet. The family moved to Windsor, Ontario in August 2012, so Amy could
attend law school at the University of Windsor. She graduated with her law degree in 2015 and is now a family law litigator — shemade partner at her firm in 2021.
Johnson attended Holy Names Catholic High School in Windsor, where he was a two-year letterman as a wide receiver (Canadianrulesfootball). He led the program
to back-to-back city and region championships in 2018 and 2019 and was named All-City and All-Canada both years. Johnson caught 18 touchdowns over his junior
and senior seasons and was named an Under Armour All-American.
A four-star recruit, Johnson was the No. 3 tight end in the 2020 recruiting class (behind Arik Gilbert and Michael Mayer) and the No. 1 recruit from Ontario. He was
the No. 72 recruit nationally (a few spots ahead of RB Jahmyr Gibbs). He was an unknown in the recruiting world until the summer of 2018, when he impressed at the
Grand Valley State "Best of the Midwest" recruiting camp. Bowling Green offered him on the spot,followed by Cincinnati and Toledo. Over the next calendar year,
Johnson attracted a few dozen scholarship offers from some of the nation's top programs, like Alabama, Florida State and Ohio State. He narrowed down his choice
to Georgia, Iowa, Michigan and Penn State,and he committed to head coach James Franklin in December 2019. Johnson enrolled early and was the second-ranked
recruit in the Nittany Lions' 2020 class (behind five-star LB Curtis Jacobs).
Johnson'sfather played wide receiver at Mott Community College (1976-77) and Hillsdale College (1978-79) and was drafted in the seventh round (No. 193) of the
1980 NFL Draft by the New York Giants. Nate also ran track at Hillsdale and played several years in the CFL (1982 -84). Theo's older brother (Dominic) played
quarterback at Buffalo before moving to wide receiver and leading the team in receiving as a redshirt seniorin 2021. He was drafted No. 32 in the 2021 CFL Draft by
Edmonton. Dominic also played basketball for two seasons at Buffalo, including on the team that upset Arizona in the first round ofthe 2018 NCAA tournament, and
was a graduate assistant coach for the Alabama basketball team in 2022-23. Johnson'sfour other brothers are Nathan, Levi, Michael and Keon. Johnson is older for a
four-year college prospect, because Canadian rules require a fifth year of high school. He accepted his invitation to the 2024 Senior Bowl.
YEAR (GP/GS) REC YDS AVG TD DROP NOTES
2020: (8/1) 4 56 14.0 0 0 Enrolled in January 2020; pandemic-shortened season
2021: (13/6) 19 213 11.2 1 2
2022: (11/9) 20 328 16.4 4 2 Missed two games (injury)
2023: (13/13) 34 341 10.0 7 2 Honorable Mention All-Big Ten; Led team in receiving TDs
Total: (45/29) 77 938 12.2 12 6
HT WT HAND ARM WING 40-YD 20-YD 10-YD VJ BJ SS 3C BP
COMBINE 6061 259 10 1/4 33 80 3/4 4.57 2.68 1.61 39 1/2 10'5" 4.19 7.15 - (no bench press – choice)
PRO DAY - 261 - - - - - - - - - - 19 (bench press only – choice)
STRENGTHS: Good-looking athlete with ideal size/speed measurements for the position ... smooth mover with fluid control of his body as a route runner and at the
catch point (best short shuttle among tight ends at the combine)... flashes the acceleration to gain a step of separation on runway routes ... snares the ball well in
stride and quickly securesit to protect the catch ... has no problem expanding his catch radius to climb the ladder and adjust to inaccurate passes ... looks comfortable
securing grabs in traffic ... shows his quickness on cutoff blocks and made steady strides with his run blocking... awarded Penn State's "Iron Lion" Award for strength
and conditioning as a senior (NFL scout: "I know (Pat) Freiermuth influenced him a lot when he got there and showed him what it takes to play big-boy football.") ...
was a regular on punt- and kick-return coverage as a senior (243 career snaps) ... experienced across the formation.
WEAKNESSES: Runs predictable routes and gives tells to defenders on his intended path ... has the balance to make the first man miss, just doesn't do it enough (only
two catches of 25-plus yards in 2023) ... needs to show better snap through his hips, both as a route runner and blocker ... tends to overextend himself as a blocker
and needs to improve his base and positioning to control the point of attack ... committed five penalties in 2023 (three false starts, one pass interference, one
unsportsmanlike conduct) ... below-average career production (fewer than 1,000 career receiving yards ... off-field vetting will be key, as he was charged with two
misdemeanors (one for simple assault, one for criminal mischief), stemming from a February 2023 incident at a fraternity house (Johnson was ordered to complete a
six-month, pre-trial intervention program for first-time offenders).
SUMMARY: A three-year starter at Penn State, Johnson was a versatile tight end in former offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich's RPO-based scheme, splitting his time
betweeninline (47.9 percent), slot (38.8 percent) and wide (9.8 percent). A wide receiver in high school in Canada, he faced a steep transition moving to tight end at
State College and didn't have a 100-yard receiving performance in 45 college games (and reached 75 yards just once). But his production steadily climbed each
season, and he led the Nittany Lions in touchdown grabs in 2023. Johnson is quick off the ball and builds his speed downfield, giving his quarterback a big tar get with
his size, strong hands and athletic catch radius. As a blocker, he doesn't embarrass himself but needs to better understand leverage and develop mor e of a glasschewing mentality. Overall, Johnson has inconsistent college tape and production, but he has A-plus measurements and smooth athletic tools that could allow him
to continue developing and become a better pro than college player. Although he is a work in progress, he is a worthy long-term investment for an NFL team.
GRADE: 3rd Round (No. 80 overall)

[MightyGiants]

Waldman


Elevator Pitch: Johnson is a fast-riser during the pre-draft cycle because of his workouts. He has elite speed, acceleration, and good
change of direction quickness for a tight end with near-prototypical size. Beyond the physical, Johnson's game has promising facets.
Johnson sets up routes well. He's especially good at manipulating defenders during his stems. There's some snap with his breaks and
there's good weight drop with hard breaks on shallow routes.
Johnson also has a wide catch radius and makes good adjustments to targets arriving from a variety of trajectories. He's not always
as explosive as his workouts, but he's fluid and he's effective at catching targets at the earliest point of its trajectory. The greatest
impediment to his consistency as a pass-catcher is his lapses with clap-attacking with targets above his chest.
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Johnson's fluid athletic ability shows up well post-catch. He alters stride length effectively, precise stop-start movement, and
transitions downhill at the level of a starter.
Johnson has an understanding of when to be patient, decisive, and improvisational as a runner. His pad level, leg strength, and
forearm shiver make him a powerful runner at the point of contact to work through a variety of tackle types. He's not shy about
initiating contact as a finisher with the ball in his hands.
Johnson needs work with his positioning for blocks at the line of scrimmage. In the open field, he can engulf smaller defenders
without as much risk of his positioning biting him.
Although quick enough to move laterally with edge rushers, he's not skilled enough to handle redirects from NFL-caliber edge
defenders. Johnson strikes hard enough that he can regain his footing and follow up with a second hit.
If he misses the initial angle on a defender at the line of scrimmage, he can maintain his hands on the defender. Still, he's not a
great fit for RPOs and screens as a lead blocker right now because he's not playing quick enough to reach linebackers and defensive
backs coming downhill at full speed and their change of direction often proves too formidable.
When he can reach defenders, he can turn them inside or out with the appropriate position on the inside or outside shoulder.
Johnson is at his best as a drive blocker who uppercuts with tight hands and rolls through his hips. If he wasn't forced to overextend
to reach his opponents, he'd have more success against smaller defenders.
The greatest weakness with Johnson's game is translating his athletic ability fully to the field. As explosive as he is for his size,
Johnson looks like a slower, lumbering option against man-to-man coverage, especially against tight coverage. This may have to do
with lacking well-practiced footwork and route strategies for this type of coverage.
If Johnson can develop a similar approach with man-to-man coverage at the line of scrimmage with his athletic ability, look out.
Otherwise, Johnson still has value as a zone/off-coverage option whose speed can earn him vertical targets.
One off-field point worth noting: Johnson earned probation for assault. He punched a fraternity member in the head at a party and
gave the student a concussion.
Where is the player inconsistent? Johnson overextends as a lead blocker or he can't continue to move his feet quickly enough to
remain tight to the defender and it leads to him overextending. As a result, defenders shed him quickly because he's not playing
quick and smaller-quicker athletes can work off his strikes without quickly getting engulfed.
What is the best scheme fit? An inline tight end who is likely to earn free releases and threaten zone coverage with his athletic
ability. This means he'll need to refine his run blocking to reach a starter-level of performance. He's not that far away. With a season
of diligent-intelligent work, he could get there.
What is his ceiling scenario? A productive in-line tight end with big-play potential in the red zone and play-action vertical routes.
What is his floor scenario? A contributor off the bench who can deliver value in offensive sub-packages.
Physical: As much as he brings technical and conceptual elements to his route and receiving game, Johnson requires a lot of space
to build up his speed against man-to-man coverage and it means he doesn't earn separation as easily as one would expect. With
better footwork off the line, Johnson might realize more of his explosion.
Keep in mind that the worst aspect of his physical testing was the short-area change of direction. It's competent in a workout, but he
must graduate beyond thinking about a plan and recognizing the plan and executing it instantaneously so there's no sluggishness
with his footwork.