Theo Johnson, TE

Height/Weight: 6'6", 257 lbs

Age: 22.9

College: Penn State

Senior Bowl: Yes

Shrine Bowl: No

Penn State Stats

Receiving Stats:

Year	Receptions	Rec Yards	Rec TDs
2020	4	56	0
2021	19	213	1
2022	20	328	4
2023	34	341	7

Pros:

• Strength – The Penn State strength and conditioning program is well renowned for churning out incredibly strong players. Theo Johnson is yet another Nittany Lion tight end prospect with tree trunks for legs. He plays strong on every play, fighting for every yard and victory he can manage.
• Hands – He can pluck the ball with ease outside his frame when he has to and his drop rate is always low. Johnson shows great consistency bringing the ball in any tough situation.
• Finish – There are several plays littered across his career where he dives, leaps, and attacks with the ball in his hand. He's always looking to finish hard, even if he isn't in position to score or a make a huge play.

Cons:

• No Finesse – It can be tough to watch Johnson sometimes. He lacks smooth route running ability or agility after the catch. This shows up glaringly in his tackle evading numbers. Johnson forces a missed tackle less than 10% of the time, which is more aligned with undrafted free agent talent than it is early round prospects. 
• Blocking Issues – Johnson relies on his strength too much in blocking without great technique. He is a willing blocker, but simply isn't there yet with his ability to win against a defender with any elaborate set of moves.
• Lack of Explosiveness – He may run quickly in a straight line at the NFL Combine, but this does not translate on the field. He ranked outside the top 60 tight ends in the nation in YAC per target. He just can't seem to catch the ball and then explode in a way that generates extra yards.

Player Evaluation:

Theo Johnson plays like an ox who is stuck in the mud. He's more than willing to use his strength to the best of his ability. It's just that he may not have sufficient technical ability or finesse to execute at a high level in the areas that matter most when it comes to winning in the NFL today.

Player Role/Comp:

Floor Comp: Jeremy Ruckert, lacking special ability

He had pedigree coming into college. The base physical traits are there. He has the strength. There's just simply an extra gear of burst missing. If you mix that with his inconsistency as a blocker you get a player that could wash out completely if he isn't careful.

Ceiling Comp: Marcedes Lewis with slightly higher upside

Given his elite strength, build, and dedication on every play he's very reminiscent of early career Marcedes Lewis. It took him a while to add necessary refinement to his game, but once he did it kept him in the league for nearly two decades. That potential is there. It just needs to be unlocked.

A to Z Big Board Rankings:

Destin Adams' Latest Big Board: NA

James Fosters' Latest Big Board: 112 (TE 5)