NFL Draft 2023 tracker: Live blog and pick-by-pick analysis
The Chargers selected TCU wide receiver Quentin Johnston with the 21st pick, adding a weapon for quarterback Justin Herbert and new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore.
Coach Brandon Staley and general manager Tom Telesco needed to add firepower to their receiver room, and Johnston fits that mold. He did not have blazing testing speed, as he ran a 4.51 40-yard dash at his pro day. But as our draft expert Dane Brugler writes in his scouting report, Johnston has a “pull-away gear once he can stretch out his long strides.” He can also make an impact as a yards-after-catch threat, particularly with his size at 6 foot 3, 212 pounds.
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Draft grades: Scott Dochterman on Round 1
Big board best available: Who’s left from Dane Brugler’s Top 300?
Big board ranking
Johnston was the 34th player on Brugler’s big board. The Chargers had plenty of options at pick No. 21, including Georgia edge rusher Nolan Smith, Alabama defensive back Brian Branch, Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer, Utah tight end Dalton Kincaid, USC receiver Jordan Addison and Boston College receiver Zay Flowers. They went with Johnston, who, according to Brugler, has an “outstanding size/speed/strength blend.”
Introduction
Johnston is an impressive athlete who caught 60 passes for 1,069 yards in 2022 for the Horned Frogs. He has an 81.625-inch wingspan (96th percentile for receivers, according to MockDraftable) and posted a 134-inch broad jump (97th percentile) and 40.5-inch vertical (93rd percentile.) He checks a lot of the boxes Telesco likes in a receiver. He is big. He is long. He is a ball-winner in the deep part of the field. He was a team captain in 2022, and scouts described him as “humble” and “genuine” to Brugler. Telesco prioritizes high-character individuals.
How he fits
Johnston has experience playing both inside and outside, and that flexibility is something the Chargers are often looking for in a receiver. Keenan Allen can do both. Josh Palmer, whom Staley and Telesco drafted in 2021, can do both, as well. Brugler specifically mentioned Johnston’s ability to separate on post routes and create after the catch with his long strides. Johnston ranked No. 2 in FBS in yards-after-catch per reception (8.9). Those two areas are where he should have the most impact in Year 1. The Chargers were lacking in both those phases last year as Mike Williams and Allen missed considerable time. Chargers receivers ranked 16th in yards-after-catch per reception in 2022, according to TruMedia.
Rookie impact
There are some knocks on Johnston. He can be prone to drops (eight last season and 13 in three college seasons). And, as Brugler writes, Johnston “ran a streamlined route tree and lacks stem polish.” Both those traits are usually big drawbacks for the Chargers. But it is clear with this pick that they were determined to add an explosive element to the receiver room. Johnston has that, even if he did not test that well in the straight-line 40. The Chargers value play speed on film over the testing numbers.
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Depth-chart impact
The positive for Johnston is he will not be forced to take on a huge role in Year 1. Allen, Williams and Palmer are ahead of him on the depth chart and enter the season as the starting trio. The Chargers also re-signed Jalen Guyton, and Johnston will be competing with him for playing time. He should have some time to develop and work on those flaws, particularly his route-running while working with one of the best route-runners in the league in Allen. Johnston said he did not have any game experience as a kick or punt returner while at TCU, so we will have to wait and see if he is a factor in that phase.
Fast evaluation
Johnston is an exceptional athlete, and he should bring some juice to the Chargers’ passing offense. But once again the Chargers passed on top-end speed at receiver, something they have been lacking for years. Could they have traded back and still gotten Johnston? We’ll never know the answer to that hypothetical. The Ravens took Flowers at pick No. 22, and the Vikings took Addison at pick No. 23. So the Chargers started a run on receivers. Still, it seemed like a good opportunity to move back and pick up another top-100 pick while maintaining a shot at a number of quality players at several positions of need. Adding weapons for Herbert is always going to be a great strategy. So I have a hard time knocking the pick too severely, even if I have those questions. If Johnston can provide some big-play ability, both deep and after the catch, he will be a great fit in Moore’s offense.
(Photo: Mark J. Rebilas / USA Today)
