Tag: Quentin Johnston stats

2023 NFL draft: What WR Quentin Johnston brings to the Chargers

Cole Topham breaks down what WR Quentin Johnston brings to the Chargers.

It was a given that the Chargers were going to add more offensive playmakers in the 2023 NFL draft.

The team wasted no time, spending its first-round pick on TCU wide receiver Quentin Johnston at No. 21 overall. Johnston finished with 60 catches, 1,069 yards, and six touchdowns. He was a major contributor to the Horned Frogs’ upset win over Michigan in the College Football Playoff semifinal with a 6-163-1 performance.

When Chargers general manager Tom Telesco called Johnston on Thursday night, he was clear about one thing: the team already has a depth of playmakers, but Johnston was too good to pass up. “We kind of have a stacked receiving room right now, but that’s a good thing,” Telesco said, “so (we’ll) get you in here, have you earn a role, we’ll figure everything else later.” 

Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, and Josh Palmer figure to play major roles in the offense next season. But even if Johnston has to play second fiddle to those established starters, he can still make an impact with his versatile skillset that brings an explosive element that the Chargers did not have before.

The easiest way to describe Johnston is he’s a prototypical ‘X’ receiver who plays the position as if he were in the slot. Johnston still has all the traditional outside receiver trademarks at 6-foot-3 and 208 pounds – big catch radius, ideal size, proven jump ball winner – but his added danger once the ball is in his hands is rare. 

He is freakishly nimble carving a path through open space and can flat-out separate when allowed to reach full speed. His 40-yard dash time of 4.49 at his pro day is a bit misleading, as he owns one of the fastest GPS times in college football last year at 21.39 mph on this run-after-catch play against Michigan.

Here, Johnston receives the ball on a drag from quarterback Max Duggan and angles toward the sideline away from the pursuing defender. The one-on-one matchup favors Johnston, who is able to turn the corner and force a missed tackle, cutting through the defender’s diving arms with ease. From there, Johnston found the sideline and left the rest of the defense in the dust. Nobody else came close to touching him on the 76-yard touchdown.

Even if there is no open space, Johnston has the creativity and improvisational skills to create it. He can slam on the brakes, rotate his momentum, and overachieve on a slant route without much effort or thought. 

And this element of Johnston’s game shows up time and time again when he played against Big 12 opponents. Half the battle was getting hands on Johnston. The other half was hanging on long enough to bring him down before his thick frame wiped away the contact for good. 

 

There are moments where Johnston displays how to use his size effectively to shield defenders from the catch point, effectively ensuring a clean window to make a box-out catch. This is a necessary attribute for Johnston to continue in the NFL because he tends to use his body to catch the ball. However, this issue seems to be one that the Chargers feel they can easily correct, and if they are right then it will lend itself to more isolated matchups where Johnston has the advantage.

And this is because there are devastating effects to leaving Johnston on an island with a single defender, especially as a vertical threat. Once Johnston gets downfield, it’s a matter of keeping up with him long enough for the ball to arrive. Then, to force an incompletion requires having to compete with his length, size, and leaping ability.

Several defensive backs learned the hard way exactly how tough that task is. Plus, if they missed the ball, chances are Johnston would already be streaking to the end zone.

It is ultimately going to be Johnston’s comfortability and mastery of offensive coordinator Kellen Moore’s scheme that will decide what impact he will make on the field during his rookie season. But, just as Telesco said to him on the phone, the Chargers have big plans for him despite their loaded receiving corps.

Surrounding Justin Herbert with dangerous weapons, especially a unicorn like Johnston, will always be a good idea.

FULL PREVIEW: No. 18 Texas vs No. 4 TCU

Crowd noise can change the result of the game.

The Texas Longhorns will play their biggest conference home game in years on Saturday. The game could be on par with the 2018 clash with Dana Holgerson, Will Grier and the West Virginia Mountaineers.

Steve Sarkisian’s team sits in poll position for the second spot in the conference title game. Should Baylor beat Kansas State, Texas could still control its destiny to make the conference championship. The simpler path involves Texas handling its business on Saturday.

The Longhorns will face a new challenge this season in conference play. They face a TCU team that is both well coached and presents matchup problems of their own for Texas.

Sonny Dykes’ coaching staff is seemingly doing everything right so far this season. Let’s examine what will decide this game.

Taking an early look at Texas vs TCU

Texas will need all the noise it can get from the home crowd against TCU.

The Texas Longhorns and TCU Horned Frogs will meet in Week 11. The game will have huge conference title implications.

TCU can effectively secure the No. 1 seed in the Big 12 with a win. With only three games remaining, the Horned Frogs would have to lose to Baylor and Kansas to lose the top ranking in the league.

In addition, Baylor would have to defeat K-State, TCU and Texas to take the top spot. With two losses already and shaky defensive play, it’s difficult to see the Bears winning all three of their remaining games.

Texas has a chance to inch closer to a conference title spot. A home loss to the Horned Frogs would all but eliminate the Longhorns, while a win would preserve their tiebreaker over Kansas State.

Let’s take a look at what Texas can look forward to on Saturday.