Quentin Johnston NFL Draft 2023: Scouting Report for Los Angeles Chargers’ WR | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors

HEIGHT: 6’3″

WEIGHT: 208

HAND: 9 5/8″

ARM: 33 5/8″

WINGSPAN: TBD

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40-YARD DASH: 4.52

3-CONE: 7.31

SHUTTLE: 4.28

VERTICAL: 40.5″

BROAD: 11’2″

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POSITIVES

— Great size. Tall, fairly thick frame. Elite arm length as well.

— Very good build-up speed. Threatening on deep routes.

— Great contested catch ability in the air. Has the frame to outmuscle defensive backs and tracks the ball well.

— Good, smooth route running and mobility for a player his size.

— Very good YAC ability. Explosive and smooth with a strong frame.

— Alignment flexibility. He is a true outside X but can play the slot and motion around.

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NEGATIVES

— Slow off the line at times. Sometimes takes too many steps setting something up.

— Struggled with drops in uncontested situations down the stretch in 2022.

— More of a body catcher than a natural hands catcher. Leads to drops or chances for defensive backs to contest the ball.

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2022 STATISTICS

— 14 GM, 60 REC, 1,069 YDS (17.8 AVG), 6 TD

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NOTES

— Suffered an ankle injury against Texas Tech on Nov. 5; reaggravated it against Baylor two weeks later

— 2021 and 2022 first-team All-Big 12

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OVERALL

Quentin Johnston has the prototypical physical traits to be a strong No. 1 wide receiver in the NFL.

Johnston sports exceptionally long arms. He is built and plays like a true X receiver who can post up on the boundary and outmuscle corners, both at the line of scrimmage and when the ball is in the air.

Johnston is a complete athlete, too. He has A-grade speed, especially the longer he gets to build up and stride out down the field on vertical routes. He has surprising flexibility and stop and start ability for a player his size, showing the athletic traits to win all over the field with different kinds of routes.

Johnston is also a YAC threat in more ways than one. Not only does he have enough speed to break away from defenders, but he also has more wiggle than you might expect. That makes him hard to tackle, especially considering his thick, strong build and ability to absorb contact.

Of course, Johnston isn’t perfect. He often gets too cute at the line of scrimmage, wasting steps when he has the size and athletic ability to keep it simple.

That is fixable, though. Johnston’s drop issues are more worrisome. Though excellent at going up for the ball in the air, he can be prone to letting the ball into his chest when it is thrown normally. Not only does this lead to wonky drops, but it also allows defensive backs to disrupt the ball.

Johnston also had “focus” drops toward the end of the season, botching a number of uncontested passes for no discernible reason. That could just be a blip—it happens to most receivers at some point or another—but it’s something to keep in mind.

For offenses looking for a big-bodied No. 1 to center the passing game around, Johnston is the player for the job. His ability down the field and with the ball in his hands should give him a reasonably high floor while he irons out his technique and consistency seeing the ball in.

Johnston has the makings of a Pro Bowl receiver, especially if paired with an aggressive quarterback.

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GRADE: 8.4 (Year 1 Starter)

OVERALL RANK: 11

POSITION RANK: WR1

PRO COMPARISON: DeAndre Hopkins

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Written by B/R NFL Scout Derrik Klassen