LJ Johnson Jr. RB SMU | NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
LJ Johnson Jr. RB SMU
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| ROLE: Work-Horse Back | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 03/20/2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2026 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 40 time: 4.33 seconds (98%*) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Age: 22.4 DOB: 01/01/2003 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| ROLE: Work-Horse Back | |
| Last Updated: 03/20/2025 | |
| Draft Year: 2026 | |
| 40 time: 4.33 seconds (98%*) | |
| Age: 22.4 DOB: 01/01/2003 | |
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| Overall Rating: | 72.0 / 100 | |
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| Average rating of opposition Defense player has faced | ||
| Defense Rating: |
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74% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| Rushing: |
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66% |
| Break Tackles: |
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51% |
| Receiving/Hands: |
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60% |
| Pass Blocking: |
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48% |
| Run Blocking: |
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60% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
UDFA
Overall Rank:
#498
Position rank:
#33
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| College Games: 34 College Snaps: 486 | ||
ESPN RATING: 85/100
College Combine Results
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247 RATING: 97.8/100
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RIVALS RATING: 6.0 (98%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Antario Brown - Northern Illinois |
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79% |
| Cam'Ron Harris - Miami |
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66% |
| Donald Chaney - Louisville |
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64% |
Draft Profile: Bio
LJ Johnson Jr. from Cy-Fair High School was rated a 4-star recruit by ESPN and handed a 4-star grade by 247 Sports. Following high school, Johnson Jr. joined Texas A&M.In 2021 as a freshman Johnson Jr. saw action in 4 games for the Aggies as he ran for just 76 yards on 21 attempts for just 3.6 yards per carry, with no TDs, with no fumbles. As a receiver he made just one reception for 14 yards.
As a sophomore in 2022 he played 6 games. and rushed for just 39 yards on 10 carries for 3.9 ypc, with 2 TDs, with no fumbles. In the passing game he pulled in no receptions for no yards.
After the end of the year Johnson Jr. transferred to SMU where as a junior Johnson Jr. saw action in 10 games for the Mustangs. He ran for 543 yards on 101 attempts for an excellent 5.4 ypc, with 3 TDs, with no fumbles. As a receiver he made just 5 receptions for 43 yards.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- He’s equally dangerous in catch-and-run situations as Johnson is taking the top off a defense
- He’s solid in blitz pickup, and he consistently showed the ability to anchor against bigger players.
- Possesses agile feet with the patience, balance and vision to sidestep and elude defenders - nice job following his blocks and working well in tight areas. Physical at the point of attack and keeps his feet moving
- Johnson finishes runs well and flashes the ability to get small and squeeze through traffic.
- He shows suddenness off the line of scrimmage and accelerates quickly, and his top-end speed is among the best in this draft.
- He’s patient in the backfield, willing to wait out his blocking and not panicking, and he consistently spots cutback lanes and takes advantage.
- Johnson has very good vision and a knack for picking out cut-back lanes and then breaking offchunks of yardage.
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Johnson isn’t going to overwhelm opposing defensive backs with speed and athleticism.
- He’s not going to threaten to take the top off of a defense.
- Johnson can sometimes be impatient, not allowing his blocks to set up, a nuance required for backs to last a decade-plus.
LJ Johnson Jr. percentiles vs other Running Backs (NFL Combine historically - higher value represents better perfomance)
How other scouting services rate LJ Johnson Jr. (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
550.5
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
54.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.