A Closer Look at Chris Johnson

great compliment to lendale....

its just the position of the pick that had me mad.  in my opinion i think johnson would have lasted a little longer so why not trade down? kind of like what the pats did. they wanted mayo, thought 7 was a little too high, so they moved back, got their guy and moved up higher later in the draft.

i do like the receiving and returning ability of johnson and think he has a lot of potential.  just would have been nice to not draft for upside and pick up a proven player.(big school, big numbers)

i apologize to all the chris johnson fans for calling him chris henry jr.

with 9 because they know we don't have anyone to throw to. Haha I'm sorry I couldn't resist.

Strengths: Possesses elite speed. Is an explosive open-field runner. Brings excellent versatility to the table thanks to his experience at RB, WR and KOR. He can explode through a hole. Gets from 0-to-60 mph faster than most RB's. Shows excellent burst to and through the hole, as well as the second-gear to run away from defenders in space. Vision and patience were much improved as a senior in 2007. He has a compact running style and will do a decent job of protecting his body. He displays very soft hands as a receiver and return specialist. Has great experience working out of the slot and knows how to separate as a route runner. Can pluck on the run and gets upfield in a hurry after the catch. Shows good vision and run instincts when he gets into space; knows when to cut back against the grain and how to set up blocks.

Weaknesses: Is undersized and must add more bulk to frame in order to hold up physically at the next level. Has better strength than frame indicates but still not strong enough to break lots of tackles or push the pile as an inside runner. Doesn't always drive his legs and finish runs strong. Durability was a problem throughout college and most concerning is his history of neck injuries. Lacks ideal running instincts and got away with a lot at the college level because of his speed that he won't get away with in the NFL. Will get overwhelmed at the point of attack versus bigger linebackers in pass pro. Will struggle to hold up in that facet of the NFL game. Ball security has been a problem at times, as he turned the ball over seven times on fumbles during his first three seasons. He also has small hands (7 ¼ inches).

Overall: Johnson became a starter as a true freshman and during his career at East Carolina served as a running back, wide receiver and kickoff return specialist. In his first three seasons (2004-'06), he played 34 games (23 starts) and ran for 1,559 yards and 15 touchdowns on 388 carries (4.0 average). In that span, he also had 88 receptions for 768 yards (8.7 average) and four touchdowns, plus 79 kickoff returns for 1,706 yards (21.6 average) and four touchdowns. Johnson broke out as a senior, starting all 13 games and leading the nation in all-purpose yards per game (227.7). He had 1,468 yards and 17 touchdowns on 236 carries (6.0 average), 37 receptions for 528 yards (14.3 average) and six scores, and 36 kickoff returns for 1,009 yards (28.0) and another TD. In 2006, Johnson had offseason neck surgery that forced him to miss spring drills but no playing time. He missed one game and was limited in others later that season because of a turf toe injury on his left big toe. Johnson shares a lot of similarities with Jerious Norwood, who was selected by the Falcons in the second round of the 2006 draft. Like Norwood, Johnson is a homerun threat with exceptional speed and versatility but marginal size and below-average strength. A team that can afford a luxury item like Johnson will be able to maximize his big-play potential as a runner, receiver and return specialist. However, we are not convinced he's capable of handling a fulltime role at running back in the NFL, which is why we don't grade him out as high as some. Regardless, Johnson is vying to become the first senior running back off the board. He projects as a second or third round pick.

I like the pick. Sure, a game breaking wide receiver would be nice, but there are two problems with that:

1. We all know that the Titans will always be a run-first team under Fisher. Having a top notch receiving corp will never be (nor should it be) a priority. The running game and the dual-threat of VY will open things up in the passing game. The goal is to get opponents to stack the box to slow the run game, then Vince will have room to operate when rolling out on play action, giving guys time to get open.
   
2. There were no game breaking receivers in this crop. After the fact that seems obvious, given that no receivers were taken in the first round, but there were warning signs all along. When Limas Sweed started getting pre-draft talk as one of the top receivers in this draft, that was all I needed to know about this group of receivers. I am a die-hard UT fan, so it pains me to say this, but I think deep down many UT fans would agree -- Limas Sweed really isn't that great. The comparison may not be fair, but it was clear that Limas wasn't even remotely close to the caliber of a Roy Williams. Not even close. I'm not saying he won't have a perfectly successful pro career, but he is no star, and he would certainly not provide an immediate upgrade to the Titans receiving corp. Believe me, I hate to say that about a beloved UT player, just as I hated to have to call Cedric Benson terrily overrated coming out of college. UT fans knew all along that the guy was a slacker and that he didn't have the drive to be great in the NFL. All that said, I still would have loved to see Limas reunited with Vince, but I don't think it is a major loss.

Chris Henry was a bust. What's done is done. The Titans needed a Chris Henry last year. He didn't exactly work out, so they still needed a Chris Henry this year! This time around his name is Chris Johnson, and hopefully this one isn't a bust. This guy actually contributed in college, so I don't see him as nearly the risk that Chris Henry was.  I love big Lendale, but it's clear that the Titans need a home run hitter. I really believe that this speedster will help the team more than any of the available WRs could have.