No. 42

Pick by Mile High Report Chris Johnson Running Back East Carolina

The Denver Broncos shocked the world in the first round of the SB Nation NFL Mock Draft by selecting Florida DE Derrick Harvey.  With their second surprise pick of the draft, the Broncos have selected East Carolina running back Chris Johnson.  TheSportsGuru, head blogger at Mile High Report, isn't off his rocker, and he'll prove it by explaining his selection below:

  This may be a surprise, and I can accept the criticisms that I am sure are coming.  At least hear me out first.  Let's be honest, the Broncos simply do not have many dynamic talents that make you stop and say, "WOW!".  Brandon Marshall has the ability, but his maturity needs to match up with his immense talent.  You look elsewhere on the offensive side of the ball, and the Broncos lack a threat that make defensive coordinators stop and take notice.  Chris Johnson can do that.  The Broncos return game has been embarrassing, a major factor the team has enjoyed the worst starting field position the past two seasons.  Chris Johnson can change that.  Let's take a look at why Chris Johnson should wear Orange and Blue come Draft Day.

First, the obvious:  the dude is fast.  You don't have to know much about who ran what to know that 4.24 is a good time in the 40, but you should also know that this number isn't going to pass by some scout's radars like it does with some fast players (i.e. Andre Hall).

Johnson was the fastest player at the combine.  He was, in fact the fastest player at the combine since they switched to electronic timing 9 years ago, tying WR Rondel Melendez from 1999.  

How about size?  Well he isn't very big, but to watch him, you only see this lack of size show up in one area of his running.  The leg churn you like to see out of a powerful runner isn't always present in his game.  His Junior season this was VERY noticeable, and it correlated directly to his pad level and a nagging turf toe injury.  Whenever his pads came up he got pounded back.  But one of the major pluses with this kid is how he responds to coaching, as his Senior year saw him run consistently with a low pad level, and he appeared to have noticeably more power.  The biggest highlight of this was seeing him bounce off of first tacklers, which is huge in Denver's scheme, where the RB is responsible for at least one guy.  

His courage between the tackles is evident as well and he displays that "Bronco-lean" that most of our hand-picked running backs seem to have, where they always seem to be falling forward.  His attitude suits our o-line scheme as well, not to mention the general feel of our locker room:  he is a leader by example, and a solid character.  He was considered a mentor to the younger players on the team and had ideal work habits.  

Another aspect that I like about his style compared to who we are fielding now is his ability to set up defenders on the second level.  While he is sudden getting through the line, where he is more inclined to push through or bounce off of his tackler, IMMEDIATELY upon reaching the second level, on every play I have seen of his long runs (and there are many) he is setting up the secondary.  It is subtle and quick and creates angles for him that, though they will close quick in the NFL, should afford him the time he needs to switch to his next gear.  Which is ANOTHER thing you have to love about Johnson:  He has his running behind his blockers speed, his cutting through the hole speed, his hitting the second level speed, and above and beyond that he has yet another gear that makes that last 30 yds to the endzone seem more like 10.  I'm sure the NFL level of talent will do wonders to make him seem a little less freakish in this respect, but regardless of who you are playing, 30 yds is 30 yds.  When you average 10 yds a second you've got something special going on.

The last thing I want to discuss is his REAL talent, and what it all means to the Broncos and their #42 pick.  Explosiveness.  Incredible acceleration.

Impeccable timing on cutbacks, with precise burst.

Courage in traffic.  Patience behind blockers.  Great decision making.  You can see what I am getting at, right?  Let's add some history:  he has been returning kicks since high school.   He has produced as a KR every year, even when injured.  Remember the knock against Elvis Dumervil?  Too small, won't be durable in the NFL, physically won't match up against NFL level competition?  Almost completely overlooked was his consistent production, gaining more sacks every year, setting records in his last year.  The #1 knock against Johnson?  Too small, won't be durable enough.

Every year he climbed up the rankings for all-purpose yards.  As a senior he set records in that category.

Denver is sitting at #42 with needs at WR, KR, and depth at RB.  Consistent producers have been part of the hallmark of recent Denver drafts.  Cutler, Marshall, DOOM.  Johnson?

Lastly, with apologies to my friends over at Stampede Blue, the last thing the Colts need is another playmaker, at least in the eyes of the rest of the AFC.  So consider this an act of "taking one for the team".  You're welcome! :)

 
Matt Miller, host of this site as well as owner of New Era Scouting, provides his analysis below:

What can I say that John didn't already address? Johnson may be a bit of a reach here, but it's hard to put a number on the value he can possibly bring in two facets of the game. We've seen how important special teams, especially returns, have become in the NFL. If Johnson can bring the production of, say Devin Hester, is he then worth this pick? Yes, he would be. Johnson will also give Denver a fast running back, something they've never had under Mike Shanahan. He's not ideal for the zone blocking scheme, but he does show good patience and has nice vision. Learning to find cut back lanes is possible. Johnson can also fill in as a slot receiver, a position some scouts feel he is best suited for.

Grade: B  ::  Chris Johnson Scouting Report - New Era Scouting :: Matt Miller's Top Five Prospects Remaining: 1.  LB Shawn Crable, 2.  RB Jamaal Charles, 3.  WR Earl Bennett, 4.  TE Fred Davis, 5. QB Chad Henne

The Carolina Panthers, represented by Cat Scratch Reader, are now on the clock.  Their pick will be headed your way at about 3PM Eastern.