Johnson was a manufactured touch player at Oregon. He was utilized in motion, bunch formations, and from the backfield (27 snaps in 2024) to get him free releases. Over the last two seasons, he has ranked 26th and eighth in screen targets among wideouts. Last year, screens comprised 51.7% of his target volume (23rd-highest mark). Johnson was tasked with plenty of stop routes, leaks out of the backfield, curls, and five-yard out routes. He faced mostly off-coverage in college. Johnson was able to win with speed and quickness. When corners could run with him and chose to press him at the line, they had little issue hanging in his back pocket through his route. Johnson deploys a similar shimmy and shake off the line and at the top of his route breaks when he works to gain separation. This caught some corners in college who lacked the foot speed to hang with him, but I worry it won't be enough in the NFL. His release package off the line and in-route nuances are limited. Johnson could be deployed in the NFL in a similar manner that Oregon used him, but he will have to grow as a route runner and separator to deal with man, press, or playing any on the perimeter. His lack of size and physicality shows up in his routes and at the catch point. It doesn't take much for a corner to push him off his route.

Johnson was terrific in Senior Bowl practices, but those practices favor receivers of Johnson's ilk - small, quick guys who can create separation in one-on-one drills. Johnson checks in at approximately 165 pounds, so not surprisingly, he's not very good at making contested catches or breaking tackles. The fleet-footed Johnson is going to be on an NFL roster next fall, but he might be more of a Tutu Atwell than a Xavier Worthy.