by J.T. Toth
Photo courtesy of Sports Illustrated.
At Draft 412, the NFL draft talk never ends. We will keep you ready for the next set of gridiron stars—from today and all the way until draft night 2024. We will bring you mock drafts, player profiles, individual team needs, and everything else you may need related to the 2024 NFL Draft.
Today’s Spotlight - Florida, Running back, Montrell Johnson Jr.
Name- Montrell Johnson Jr.
Pos- Running Back
Team- Florida
HT/WT- 5’11” 217 lbs.
Born- 10/13/2002
Home – New Orleans, LA
Montrell Johnson Jr. was ranked the 48th best running back in the country by 247Sports.com while he was playing high school football for De La Salle High School in New Orleans. He had offers from Florida, Arizona, Tennessee and Virginia but decided to stay home and play for Louisiana University.
At Louisiana in 2021, he played in all 14 games and ran for 838 yards and 12 touchdowns. After his stellar season, he was selected to the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award Watch List. After the season, he entered the transfer portal and eventually selected Florida to continue his football career.
This past season for the Gators, he appeared in all 13 games, making 9 starts. He finished the season rushing for 841 on 155 carries and scored 10 touchdowns. He also had 12 receptions for 58 yards and 1 touchdown.
Johnson is a playmaker who can make things happen either on the ground or by catching a pass out of the backfield. He has enough athleticism to beat you around the edge on power sweeps and can go through a defender if the play calls for it. He has good hands and gets plenty of yards after the catch with his athleticism.
On the downside, Johnson is not the most competent pass blocker and needs to learn how to use his power and size to become better at pass pro in the NFL. He lacks composure and patience, and thus does not wait for the plays to develop, missing on some big plays because of his lack of vision.
A current player comparison for Johnson might be Detroit Lions starting RB David Montgomery. They are both playmakers who at times struggle to find consistency in their game.
Strengths
Playmaker
Pass catching
Speed
Good size
Weaknesses
Patience
Pass blocking
Consistency
Vision
Final Analysis
Montrell Johnson Jr. is an under the radar talent at the running back position who needs a big season to move up the draft boards.
Draft 412 Draft Projection- Round 4