*Walt taking 2014 and 2018 |
Charlie Campbell, Senior Draft Analyst |
Duke Johnson Viewed as Round 3-4 Prospect
Updated Sept. 10, 2014By Charlie Campbell. Follow Charlie on Twitter @draftcampbell.
Last year, Miami running back Duke Johnson was on his way to having a big season of around 1,500 yards before breaking his ankle against Florida State and missing the final five games. The 5-foot-9, 206-pound running back has shown impressive speed and playmaking ability since breaking into the lineup as a freshman. However, some of our NFL sources have told us that they believe Johnson will end up grading out as a third- or fourth-round pick.
Sources say that in order to rise, Johnson will need to improve his contributions in pass blocking and prove that he can stay healthy. Johnson isn’t the biggest of backs, so showing that he can play an entire season is important for him. If Johnson can do that, he could make it into the second day of the draft next year if he decides to declare as a junior. If can’t stay healthy, Johnson could fall into day three.
In his 2014 debut, Johnson had 90 yards on 20 carries. He also had a long reception that was called back by a penalty. However, Johnson’s offensive line and new starting quarterback didn’t invoke a lot of confidence that they will get Johnson good running looks this season.
Comment on this story here.
