Quentin Johnston NFL Draft Scouting Report

WR, TCU Horned Frogs

Quentin Johnston is listed at 6-foot-4 and 212 pounds with an estimated 4.3 40-yard dash time. He enters the draft as one of the most athletically gifted receivers of the past decade. Johnston’s career at TCU was mostly stagnant, but the 2022 season saw the production match the athletic ability as Johnston posted career highs with 60 receptions for 1,069 yards and six touchdowns. 

Johnston served as the X-factor for a high-powered TCU offense that led the program to its first national championship appearance in decades. Johnston has an elite-level athletic profile, combining speed, acceleration, and size in a way that has allowed him to be dominant and consistently put up impressive single-game numbers. Johnston appears to be a prototypical, traditional X receiver that can step in and immediately be the No. 1 wide receiver in most NFL offenses. 

Johnston has proven to be an impactful player facing both man and zone schemes but showcases his best plays against zone defense. When Johnston has off coverage and free releases, he has a versatile release package where he can use an explosive first step to quickly minimize defenders’ cushion or a slow release to help dictate tempo to the defensive back. From these releases, Johnston has the lateral agility to quickly snap off a breaking route or push a route vertically. On in-breaking routes, Johnston has shown the ability to sink his hips and create separation at the top of the routes and separate away from defenders. On crossing routes and deep overs in zone coverage, Johnston has shown to have an in-depth understanding of zone defenses and works to free himself by finding the holes in defenses and consistently climbing vertically up the field.

Once Johnston catches the ball he becomes a difficult tackle for defenders. Johnston has the size to power through arm tackles but he also has shown to have the short-area quickness to consistently make defenders miss. Johnston can combine a violent lateral cut with an explosive vertical move to separate from defenders and create an explosive play. Johnston has shown that he has the acceleration, explosiveness, and top-end speed to take a simple slant or drag route for a touchdown. 

Johnston’s improvements as a player are centered around his ability to consistently beat press-man coverage. When Johnston faces press-man, he allows defensive backs to get into his chest and they have a better opportunity of slowing Johnston down at the line of scrimmage, making it more difficult for him to release into his route with a clean release. When defensive backs shoot their hands and get physical with Johnston, they have the opportunity to dictate the tempo and pace and have shown to be able to stay in phase with Johnston on underneath routes to make a play on the football. Johnston can improve this by minimizing the contact area and using his strength to power through defensive backs to quickly get into his release. 

Top Reasons to Buy In:

• Explosive playmaker  
• Rare combination of size, speed, and quickness 
• Elite speed

Top Reasons For Concern: 

• Consistently defeating press coverage 
• Inconsistent in contested-catch opportunities

Size (NFL Combine):

Height: 6′ 3”

Weight: 208 lbs

Arm Length: 33 5/8”

Hand Size: 9 5/8”

Athletic Testing (NFL Combine):

40-yard Dash: TBD

Vertical Jump: 40.5”

Broad Jump: 11′ 2”

Short-Shuttle: TBD

Three-Cone: TBD

Bench Reps: TBD

Ideal Role: X receiver  

Scheme Fit: Scheme-versatile traits

TDN Consensus Grade: 89.00/100 (First-Round Value)

• Sanchez Grade: 89.00/100

Written By: Keith Sanchez 

Exposures: Kansas (2022), Oklahoma State (2022), Kansas State (2022), Michigan (2022), Georgia (2022)

Quentin Johnston NFL Draft Scouting Report. Add him to your big board here.