Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Rookie free agent profile: Nick Johnson, WR, Henderson State


Nick Johnson 5'11" 189
WR, Henderson State

Rankings:
109th-ranked wide receiver by Pro Football Weekly. Graded as a player who could make an NFL training camp but will likely need time in a developmental league.
NFLDraftScout: 140th-ranked WR, free-agent grade.

Biography/honors:
2011: Played in 10 games, starting 7. 35 receptions for 280 yards (8.0 ypc) and 3 TDs. Averaged 22.8 yards on 13 kick returns and 14.9 yards on 9 punt returns. 
2010: Junior college transfer. Played in 11 games. 31 receptions for 470 yards (15.2 ypc) and a TD. Averaged 17.1 yards on 8 kick returns.

Uncle Sherman Cocroft played cornerback for 3 NFL teams from 1989-1994.


Major: not reported.

Injuries: none reported.

Pro day stats: (NFL Combine WR averages in parentheses)
(held at Ouachita Baptist. Ouachita Baptist has a pro day?)

4.41 40 (would have been in top 10 WRs at Combine, tying Chris Givens. WR average was 4.53)
1.57 10-yard split
36” vertical jump (36”)
10'0" broad jump (10'0")
6.86 3-cone drill (6.93)
3.92 20-yard shuttle (would have been fastest time at Combine. WR average was 4.17. Last year's fastest shuttle? Austin Pettis, 3.88.)
16 bench press (15)


Positives: Natural receiver with good speed and burst who runs well after the catch. Has some excellent after-the-catch moves. Effective on smoke routes and quick screens. Can go up and get it and will go over the middle. Has quickness and movement skills to be an effective slot receiver. Has run sub-4.4 in the 40. Couldn't be caught from behind at his level of competition. Picks up playbooks quickly. Shows elusiveness and ability to weave through traffic as a kick returner.

Negatives: Unimpressive production and only seven starts against a low level of competition. Wasn't even Henderson State's leading receiver. Seems to rely almost entirely on speed to get open. One-note receiver who will find the going a lot harder against pro-quality talent. Very pedestrian kick return numbers. And if he intends to return punts in the NFL, will have to be a lot smarter about catching in a crowd and will learn fast that you can't win on speed alone. Doesn't have that much experience as a receiver or a returner. Is a 49ers fan. 

Compares to: Speedy wide receiver from Henderson State? Wish I could say Roy Green. I'll say Dolphins WR Clyde Gates, even though he was a 4th-round pick.

Fun Facts: A 49er fan since childhood, Nick even went so far as to make former 49er QB Jeff Garcia his agent. He'd better have a new favorite team now, though. Henderson State and Ouachita State are across the street from one another in Arkadelphia, Arkansas and have a rivalry dating back to 1895. Every year the visiting team walks to the home team's stadium.

RamView: Johnson put up excellent 40 times at one of the NFL Super Regional combines; I'm not sure what else attracted the Rams to him, or where exactly he fits in on the roster. They already have plenty of slot receivers. John Fassel at Oakland tended to prefer crazy-fast players returning kicks; maybe Johnson's getting a chance there despite very underwhelming college numbers. He looks very good after the catch; maybe that'll help him stand out in camp. But Johnson looks like just a long-shot stopwatch signing from here. No harm, no foul.

Chance of making roster: 10%.


Sources: Pro Football Weekly, CBS Sports, NFLDraftScout, Santa Cruz Sentinel, Wikipedia, Henderson State athletics, YouTube

Photo: Henderson State athletics

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