The Chicago Bears will be looking at running backs in the 2023 NFL draft if they do not re-sign David Montgomery. One name to keep an eye on is Roschon Johnson. Johnson is currently known as the other Texas running back behind Bijan Robinson, and because of that he is flying under the radar.
Still, teams are starting to realize this is a prospect worth valuing in his own right. What does Roschon Johnson bring to the table?
Roschon Johnson Stats
| Rush | Rush | Rush | Rush | Rece | Rece | Rece | Rece | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | School | Class | Pos | G | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD |
| *2019 | Texas | FR | QB | 13 | 123 | 649 | 5.3 | 7 | 23 | 158 | 6.9 | 1 |
| *2020 | Texas | SO | RB | 10 | 80 | 418 | 5.2 | 6 | 8 | 51 | 6.4 | 1 |
| 2021 | Texas | JR | RB | 12 | 96 | 569 | 5.9 | 5 | 11 | 83 | 7.5 | 0 |
| *2022 | Texas | SR | RB | 12 | 93 | 554 | 6.0 | 5 | 14 | 128 | 9.1 | 1 |
| Career | Texas | 392 | 2190 | 5.6 | 23 | 56 | 420 | 7.5 | 3 |
Johnson did not play much, and his most attempts were 123 as a freshman. Of course, that was before Bijan Robinson came to Texas. Johnson also started that year as a quarterback. Then, he moved to running back, and became a capable backup. Despite a lack of carries, he had 23 rushing touchdowns and also caught 56 passes.
Strengths of Roschon Johnson’s Draft Profile
The lack of carries is looked at as a strength. Most running backs max out early in the NFL, but he may come in with extra leg strength to carry a longer career. Either way, what he does bring to the table is exactly what Chicago wants.
Johnson is a short-yardage back, who can convert with power. He can covert in the red zone, as shown by the touchdowns. Beyond that, he can catch the football and use his skill set in the passing game. Johnson also was a trusted pass blocker.
Johnson is not your typical passing back, as he is around 220 pounds. The combination of pass-catching and short yardage are the two biggest strengths David Montgomery brings, so Johnson replicating both is huge.
Weaknesses in Roschon Johnson’s Draft Profile
Johnson was a quarterback as recently as 2019. With 123 carries as a career-high, it is about half of what David Montgomery would typically see in a season. Johnson had 392 rushes in four years. Derrick Henry had 349 this past season. If you are drafting Johnson it is hard to say you are expecting him to handle a full snap share. He is a complimentary running back.
Johnson has some wiggle in open space, but may not have the breakaway burst to finish runs with ease. Johnson was a trusted pass blocker, but there were still areas of his game to clean up, especially if this is one of the few major areas he excels.
Does Roschon Johnson fit Chicago Bears?
The weaknesses of Johnson may be what pushes his draft stock into the range where the Chicago Bears could have an interest. They also are not a huge issue for Chicago. The Bears do not want to pay David Montgomery because they want to give Khalil Herbert some more work.
Herbert struggles to catch the ball, convert short-yardage plays, and pass protect. Those are the strengths that Johnson brings to the table. Between the two, they would have a low cost and would be the perfect one-two punch. It really would not matter which is the one, or the two, they would see an equal share.
This may end up being a great fit. Keep an eye on the draft stock of Johnson, and as long as it does not get too high, his stylistic fit will be too hard for the Chicago Bears to ignore. Getting him on day three would be a much better deal than paying David Montgomery.