[jwplayer 2G95chbv]
One year ago the Lions used a Day 3 draft pick on a fast, slippery, undersized running back with great burst but little power to his game. Ty Johnson proved worthy of the pick. He averaged 4.3 yards per carry and also proved a reliable receiver, catching 24 passes. It was a promising start for the speedster from Maryland.
It was not impressive enough to solidify his status in Detroit. On Saturday, the Lions used a fifth-round pick on Jason Huntley from New Mexico State.
Their scouting reports are eerily similar, though Huntley was more accomplished and carried a higher workload in college. Now it appears they are competing for the same roster spot in a suddenly overcrowded running back room.
According to Lions GM Bob Quinn, that is no accident. He mentioned Johnson specifically in his post-draft press conference when asked about Huntley and how he fits with the team.
“Listen, there’s going to be competition in that running back room,” Quinn declared. “We feel good about the depth of that room. The good thing about the running backs right now, we have them of all shapes and sizes. We have some bigger guys, we have some middle-sized guys. Huntley will be our smallest guy, but he’s extremely fast. So (I’m) very confident that we’ll find a role for him, and he is going to be in competition with Ty Johnson.”
Quinn continued,
“Ty Johnson was a sixth-round pick last year, so Ty knows. Ty’s a smart guy. Ty knows he has to come in and earn it every year. We’re excited about Ty Johnson and hopefully the progress he makes from year one to year two. We’re going to put Jason right in there with him.”
It’s an interesting choice to double up at a position that merited just 87 touches and less than 30 percent of the offensive snaps. After selecting D’Andre Swift in the second round and with Kerryon Johnson coming back, plus Bo Scarbrough’s effective work as the power back down the stretch, drafting competition for a relatively minor role is a bit perplexing.
The concept of competition to make players earn their spots is a positive step, a development that has been missing from the Detroit RB room for some time.