Roschon Johnson

Summary

Roschon Johnson was selected in Round 4 (#115 Overall) of the 2023 NFL Draft out of the University of Texas. A former high school quarterback who converted to running back, Johnson spent much of his college career sharing the backfield with elite talent, most notably Bijan Robinson. Despite limited feature-back volume, Johnson finished his Texas career with 1,752 rushing yards, 23 total touchdowns, and 56 receptions, earning respect across the program for his versatility and unselfishness. He was named a team captain and widely regarded as one of the emotional leaders of the Longhorns. Since entering the NFL, Johnson has quickly established himself as a reliable rotational running back, contributing on early downs, passing situations, and special teams. Through the 2024 season, he has produced 700+ rushing yards, 300+ receiving yards, and multiple touchdowns, while earning consistent snaps due to his pass protection, toughness, and assignment reliability. Johnson is often described as a “coach’s favorite” for his preparation habits and team-first mentality.

Strengths

• Pass Protection: Outstanding blitz pickup; one of his most NFL-ready traits. High-level understanding of assignments, protections, and situational football.

• Physical Running Style: Runs with toughness and urgency and finishes forward consistently. Compact, sturdy build suited for contact-heavy roles.

• Vision & Patience: Reads blocks well and understands run concepts. Shows great ball security when carrying the football.

• Receiving Ability: Reliable hands and effective check-down and screen option.

Weaknesses

• Top-End Speed: Lacks breakaway speed and his breakaway explosive runs are limited. Not a consistent chunk-play generator.

• Lateral Elusiveness: More linear than creative in space. Builds speed rather than exploding through the hole.

• Ceiling as Feature Back: Best suited for committee usage rather than bell-cow workload.

• Open-Field Creativity: Relies on power and angles over suddenness.

Outlook

Johnson is an excellent fit for physical, detail-oriented offenses that value pass protection, reliability, and situational execution from the running back position. He thrives in gap and inside-zone schemes, where his vision, toughness, and decisiveness can keep the offense on schedule. His pass protection ability allows him to stay on the field in critical downs, giving quarterbacks confidence and enabling more complex passing concepts. Looking ahead, Johnson projects as a core committee back with strong third-down value as he has recently been passed on the depth chart by rookie Kyle Monangai. While his athletic ceiling limits feature-back upside, his intelligence, toughness, and reliability give him a high floor and long-term roster value. Coaches trust him in high-leverage situations, and his leadership traits suggest continued relevance even as backfield roles evolve. Johnson profiles as the type of player who wins snaps through trust, not flash.