Paris Johnson Jr (OT) – Ohio State / Junior
6’6” / 310 lbs (Unofficial)
2022 Stats: 13 games, 827 snaps total (378 run & 449 pass); conceded 0 quarterback hits, 12 quarterback hurries, and 2 sacks at Left Tackle.
{Reference: https://www.pff.com/nfl/players/paris-johnson/129749/draft-profile}
Awards:
- Second-team all-Big Ten (2021)
- Consensus All-American (2022)
- First Team All-Big Ten (2022)
Measurables: (AVAILABLE POST COMBINE/PRO DAY)
Games Watched: 2022 @ Penn St.; 2022 vs. Michigan; 2022 Georgia (Bowl Game)
PRO’S
Paris Johnson Jr. played the entire 2021 season at Right Guard, and then the entire 2022 season at Left Tackle as QB CJ Stroud’s blind side protector – NFL GMs will love that versatility right off the bat, especially given that he excelled at both positions. Most rookies need time to reach their potential, but Johnson is a pretty polished prospect showing both power and savvy. He has long arms and is known for having very strong hands and grip, but shows plenty of examples of disengaging, replacing his hands and redirecting. Strong man who shows a lot of power in run blocks in pushing his opponent backwards. He plays with some angriness, which every coach loves (and is what fans should want in their offensive linemen, just saying). His very long arms allow him to get his hands on his opponent first.
Johnson also is athletic for his size, and is explosive out of his stance. I can’t say enough how intrigued I am by his versatility – he can play LT, RT, or at G – and his athleticism should allow him to play in a multitude of offensive schemes. In pass protection, he anchors well and is hard to move.
CON’S
Johnson’s hand placement needs improvement with its consistency, but you’ll notice that that’s a common con with any OL player entering the draft. I would not put down strength as a “con” for Johnson, but again – like any young player – he can stand to get stronger, but over time there’s no reason to believe he won’t.
OVERALL
Johnson is consistently projected as a mid-to-high first round pick – PFF had him ranked as low as the 20th overall 1st round value in 2022, and as high as 13. As of this writing (01.11.23), Johnson is widely viewed as one of the two best OTs in the ‘23 draft (with Peter Skoronski), but I would not be surprised if Johnson overtakes him by Draft Day in the opinion of experts and GMs. This is not a high-end draft class when it comes to the OL, so I would not be surprised if either Johnson or Skoronski (or both) get drafted somewhere in the top 10 given that there is quite a drop off in the more top-end talent at OT after them. Then again, draft positions change quite a bit with still over 4 months to go until Draft Day and there could be a late riser or two who catapult themselves up the charts.
Completed by: @JoeJ_Clark, 01/11/23
