Can Kenny Golladay develop into the Lions’ next Calvin Johnson?

Could Detroit Lions wide receiver Kenny Golladay be the team’s next Calvin Johnson? The numbers suggest he has the potential to do so.

Don’t call him Babytron because he wants to earn his own nickname. However, it is hard to ignore the parallels between Detroit Lions wide receiver Kenny Golladay and Megatron himself, Calvin Johnson.

When Johnson decided to abruptly retire following the 2015 season, it left the Detroit Lions fan base starving for another All-Pro wide receiver that could simply jump higher, run faster and break tackles the same way that Johnson did for the better part of nine seasons.

Two years later, the Lions took Golladay out of Northern Illinois in the 3rd round of the 2017 NFL Draft. Have the Lions in fact found their next All-Pro wide receiver? Let’s take a look.

Tale of The Tape

Through the first 35 games of their careers:

  • Johnson had 145 receptions for 2368 yards with 16 touchdowns
  • Golladay sits at 136 receptions for 2337 yards and 16 touchdowns

As it stands, Golladay is on pace to finish his third season with 67 catches, 1238 yards, and 14 trips to the end zone. After this season is over, barring any setbacks and Golladay maintaining his pace, here is where he could potentially stack up against Johnson:

  • Johnson: 193 receptions, 3071 yards, 21 touchdowns in 45 games
  • Golladay: 165 receptions, 2778 yards, 24 touchdowns in 42 games

It is important to note that Johnson became the Lions second receiving option behind Roy Williams in the second game of his 2007 rookie season, while Golladay was largely the third option behind Golden Tate and Marvin Jones Jr. during his first year and a half in the league.

Is Golladay the next superstar in Detroit?

While the wound may still feel fresh to Lions fans, and it may seem a bit much to look into the future, given the current state of the franchise, Golladay does possess the physical attributes, skill set, and production values to be compared to Johnson.

It’s possible Golladay could even pass Johnson on the all-time lists in the Lions franchise — especially if he can stay on the field more than Johnson was able to in the latter part of his career.

Ultimately time will tell, but this tale of the tape should give Lions fans a beacon of hope that they have another superstar to pair with Matthew Stafford.