Michael Johnson DE 6'7 260 Georgia Tech

Johnson spent most of his freshman season on special teams, but managed to make six tackles and a sack on the year. As a sophomore, he only started one game but was effective off the edge. He had 34 tackles, six for loss, five sacks, and an interception on the year. Johnson again started one game as a junior, this time finishing with 21 tackles, six for loss, and four sacks for the season.

Strengths

Johnson is a potential game changer off the edge. He is a phenomenal athlete, with excellent quickness and agility, along with the speed to close and finish plays. As a pass rusher, he is a player you have to account for on every snap. Johnson can simply explode by the tackle with his natural talent and get into the backfield. He also has a long, lean frame that should fill out as he continues to get older. He is a DE that could end up playing on Sundays around the 285 mark, and be an every down player.

Weaknesses

Two starts is all Johnson has at the college level. He has played quite a bit, but he still only has two starts, and relatively modest success for a player with the hype he receives. The projections are based on his off the charts physical ability, so Johnson has a lot to prove this season. He must show he can hold up as a starting end for the entire year, and not just as a pass rusher. He will also need to show he can be more active and more of a force against the run. In the past, his thin build allowed lineman to push him out of the action.

Future

For Johnson to receive the attention he has received despite just two starts in three years in college, shows you how physically talented he is. If he can make that talent translate to more success as an every down end, he is arguably the top defender in the draft. The potential is there, but it’s time for Johnson to get out there and prove he can live up to it.