Chicago Bears fans are always on the lookout for talented players who can help their team succeed on the field. One player who has caught the attention of Bears fans is Roschon Johnson, a standout running back from the University of Texas. With the Bears in need of a strong running game to complement their passing attack, Johnson could be a valuable addition to the team.
In this blog post, we’ll take a closer look at four key stats that every Bears fan should know about Roschon Johnson. We’ll explore his college career and examine his strengths and weaknesses as a player. We’ll also discuss how his skills could translate to the NFL and what he could bring to the Bears’ offense.
Whether you’re a die-hard Bears fan or simply a football enthusiast, this post will provide valuable insights into one of the most promising running backs in college football today. So, let’s dive in and learn more about Roschon Johnson and what he could bring to the Chicago Bears.
4. Roschon Johnson has plenty of tread on the tires
One of the reasons Roschon Johnson has been able to excel as a college football player is that he has spent most of his college career as a complementary back in a running back committee. While this may seem like a disadvantage, it actually helped him stay involved in the game and continue to develop his skills. Although he had to share carries with other talented running backs, Johnson consistently received playing time and was able to contribute to his team.
Interestingly, Johnson had the most carries of his college career when he was a true freshman. Despite joining the team as a quarterback and switching to running back in the spring, he was able to make an immediate impact. In his first year, Johnson had 123 carries for 649 yards and seven touchdowns, as well as 23 catches for 158 yards.
However, Johnson’s role on the team changed when Bijan Robinson, a top-ten draft pick, joined the team. While Johnson remained with the team, his role was reduced, and he had fewer carries and catches in the following seasons. Nonetheless, Johnson persevered and continued to contribute to the team in whatever way he could, even though he had to compete with one of the best players in the country.
Texas tried to get him on the field in creative ways, and they had 25 snaps with Bijan Robinson as the running back, and Roschon Johnson as the full-back. They also had Johnson out wide or in the slot for 24 snaps. They did what they could to get him on the field.
3. Roschon Johnson can move the chains and score touchdowns
One reason the Chicago Bears have to like Roschon Johnson is that he is a grinder between the tackles. At times, the Longhorns used him to do the dirty work and ease the load on Robinson. All Johnson did was grind out first downs and touchdowns.
Last season, Johnson created 32 first downs on 94 attempts, and he finished with 5 touchdowns as well. That is a 34% first-down rate and a 5.3% touchdown rate. For perspective, the leader in first down last season had a 33% rate, and the leader in touchdown rate was 8%. So, he was grinding out first downs better than any other back. Beyond that, he had a 55% success rate, which actually meant that he also was about as consistent down-per-down as Bijan Robinson.
This is a reliable trait for the Chicago Bears and something that replaces David Montgomery. Khalil Herbert is a big play hitter, but cannot get the yards on a down-in, down-out basis. With Johnson, they can get that part of his game.
2. Roschon Johnson gives the Chicago Bears pass protection help
One of the more underrated aspects of Johnson is pass protection. It is not talked about much because it is not the key thing that fans want from their running back, but the Chicago Bears need a back that can do it.
Roschon Johnson also has just 170 snaps as a pass blocker, so this is also a limited sample. Still, the team trusts him on the key pass protection snaps, and he grades above average in almost any pass protection metric.
For his career, he spent 25.7% of his snaps as a pass protector, and that rate was 25.5% last season. This is important because Khalil Herbert has been awful in this area. The team explicitly signed Travis Homer with the thought that he would be the pass-protecting back. Now they can get a pass protector who also brings a little more to the table.
1. Chicago Bears can play Roschon Johnson on special teams
What makes Roschon Johnson such a great pick for the Chicago Bears is that he brings an enormously high floor. Even if he does nothing as a running back, he is almost a lock to make the roster. The reason comes down to special teams.
For his career, Roschon Johnson has 459 special teams snaps. That is not as a return man, either, although he does work on the return game. That is as a gunner in the coverage game and a protector in the return game. He does it all.
Roschon Johnson is a four-phase special teams player, he just did not play field goal kicks and field goal blocking. He had 172 snaps in kick return, 131 in punt coverage, 82 in punt return, and 74 in kick coverage. This presents a high floor, he is going to make the team based on special teams alone. Now, the question is how high does his ceiling get?
